Hiroe Igeta: Let's have a positive attitude and enjoy everything.

■ Profile

Actress Born February 3, 1997 in Fukuoka Prefecture.
As a fashion model, she has appeared in numerous magazines, including "MORE" and "JELLY." She is active in a variety of fields, including "Kamen Rider Zero-One" in 2020, television variety shows, and movies. Her first photo book, "Igeta Hiroe 1st Photo Book My Girl," and the 2021 "Igeta Hiroe Calendar Book" are currently on sale.

Igeta Hiroe is an actress who is currently attracting a lot of attention. She started her career in the entertainment industry with the goal of entering Waseda University, and has since made a name for herself. She says she was "actually shy," but has overcome this through her work and has tackled various challenges in a positive manner. We asked her what she keeps in mind in her work and daily life, and what she would like to challenge herself with in the future.

■ What really helps me with my acting is my 100% fun high school days

In high school, I was a typical high school girl who studied hard and participated in club activities. I was the captain of the tennis club I belonged to at the time, and a leader for the sports festival. I also went to the beach after school to take photos with my friends. Looking back now, I think my student life was like something out of a school drama.

I moved to Tokyo to attend Waseda University, and began working in the entertainment industry alongside my studies. When I first entered university, I was so focused on getting the credits I needed that I couldn't balance my studies with my acting lessons at the agency, but as I progressed through the years, I gradually began to get more work in the entertainment industry.
Then, at the end of my third year, I passed the audition to be a girl for the Zexy commercial. At the time, my friends in the same year were starting to look for jobs, and I wondered what I should do, but I remember that when I got the role in the commercial, I made up my mind to pursue a career in entertainment full-time.

When I decided to focus on showbiz, I was worried that I would fall behind the girls who had been modeling since middle and high school. However, enjoying my high school years 100% was very valuable to me, and I can now put that experience to good use, so I'm really glad I did.

■ Overcoming shyness through a desire to absorb as much as possible

Since starting work in the entertainment industry, I've found it very enjoyable to go to various locations and meet many different people. I don't always work in the same place, so I can approach each job with a fresh feeling, which is what I like about this job. I also think that being able to gain a variety of experiences makes this a job that suits me.
I was a bit anxious when I first started working, so I often stayed in the background on-site. However, my manager at the time gave me a push, and as I worked, I made it a point to "try to do what I was told" and "try my best to absorb everything," and gradually my shyness went away, and I started to enjoy talking to people. I'm really grateful to my manager for all his help.
Also, compared to other jobs, this job involves dealing with a wider range of people, so I actually get feedback such as comments and reactions to me, which makes it a rewarding job. For example, in my recent appearance in Kamen Rider Zero-One, I received supportive comments from viewers such as "I watched it!" and "It will give me energy for tomorrow!", which makes it truly rewarding.

■ Eating crickets and being buried in a garbage dump: such experiences are also valuable

While working as an actress, there are times when I think a performance is good while I'm acting, but when I watch it objectively through broadcast, I think, "Huh? Why was I doing that?" and my perception of it differs from what I felt on set. I feel that I still have a long way to go in that area, and I see it as a challenge for the future.
Also, in my entertainment career, I have eaten crickets and caterpillars and been buried in a garbage dump. However, when I think of it as work, I can enjoy it without feeling stressed. I couldn't eat insects or be buried in a garbage dump in my private life, so when I think of it that way, I can enjoy it because it's work. I believe that no matter what kind of job it is, it's fine as long as I don't die or bring shame to my parents.

■I want to appear in a realistic and raw video production

I've always loved listening to the radio, so I'd like to try doing that in the future. Also, this is a bit off topic, but I've been taking notes on what happens each day recently. I also post daily on an audio media called Voicy, where I broadcast my everyday life and my thoughts on a daily basis. While broadcasting on Voicy, I sometimes feel lonely on my own, so I hope that one day I'll be able to do it with two or three people and have a conversation.
Speaking of modeling, I'd like to try my hand at appearing in a more mature, edgy, fashionable magazine. As for acting, I was really impressed by the movie "We Made a Bouquet," so I'd like to appear in something with a realistic, raw feel like that. I also love food, so I'd like to appear on a food tour location shoot or a travel program, and since I'm from Fukuoka, I'd like to promote the city. Fukuoka Prefecture is famous for its ramen, of course, but also for its delicious Amaou strawberries and udon noodles. I'd like to be able to convey the charms of Fukuoka in that way.

■There are many things about the future that you can't know until you enter society.

There are people in this job who come from all different backgrounds, and who have taken all different paths to get to this job. I think the four years at university are important in deciding your future. However, once you enter society, there are many more paths than you might think. I think graduating from university is necessary to have access to those many options.
If you haven't decided what your future holds, that's fine, and there are many things you won't know until you enter society. If you're working too hard and feeling down, I hope you'll have the peace of mind to tell yourself that things will work out somehow, and work hard at your studies and club activities, and enjoy the present.

Interviewed by Student Newspaper Online on March 31, 2021 by Masato Yamamoto, a third-year student at Meiji University