Inoue Sora I only look forward. That's my strength.

■ Profile

Born in Oita Prefecture on August 12, 1998, he made his acting debut in 2020. He has appeared in numerous dramas, including NHK's "First Love" and FOD's "Cinderella is Online!" He is a promising actor who has attracted attention for his appearance in Abema's hugely popular romance reality show "Don't be fooled by love and wolves."

"I want to be a cool actor," says Inoue Sora. He started playing tennis at the age of three and couldn't imagine any other career path during his childhood. However, when he encountered a job in the entertainment industry during his university years, he became fascinated and, despite strong opposition from his parents, continued to forge ahead on his own path. After overcoming various hardships, we spoke to him about his passion for his current job, his thoughts on acting, and his future goals.

■ Taking on a career in entertainment that I had never considered

I got into university on a sports recommendation. I moved to Tokyo because I wanted to play tennis, which I'd been playing since I was three, at a strong university in the first division. I really only intended to play tennis at university, and in fact I didn't even have a part-time job, spending my life solely on club activities. During that time, I ended up modeling for a manufacturer's catalog. I'd always dreamed of being in the cool world of showbiz, and when I tried it, I actually found it fun. Then, the coach of my club knew a staff member at Watanabe Training School, so I decided to audition for Watanabe Training School.
My parents were very opposed to my starting this job. When I moved to Tokyo, I had already decided to play tennis, and my father had always wanted me to take over the company. I was living off my parents' money in Tokyo, but they even told me, "If you go into showbiz, I'll stop giving you that money." They told me to earn money if I was going to work. From there, I got part-time jobs and went to a training school, and I was so busy I couldn't sleep. Then my father accepted, saying, "You're going to go this far? Well, I guess that's why." Now, my mother has also started watching "Don't be fooled by love and wolves," in which I appeared, and sending me her thoughts about it.
Looking back, I think this job was the first time I ever said, "I want to do this" on my own. Up until then, I had only ever played tennis, and even when I started playing tennis, it felt like I had no other options. But now I feel like I'm finally doing what I really want, something that I thought about and decided on for myself. Now I've decided to "not hold back on things that I want," because I'll definitely regret it. I try not to do anything that I'll regret.

Through acting, I learned that there are so many things I can't do.

I've played a variety of sports up until now, and I've been able to do pretty much anything. But when it comes to acting, I can't do it at all. It made me realize, "There are so many things I can't do," and for the first time, I decided I wanted to take acting seriously.
What's fun about this job is that I get to do something different and new every time. While there's no end to learning, I also think that the more you study, the more results you'll get. Right now, I'm mainly studying by watching a variety of films. One film I saw recently that made a big impression on me was "Ah, Wilderness." It's about two men training hard to box, but they look more like they're playing sports than actually playing sports. That intensity was conveyed through the film, and it really brought home to me how cool the actors are.

■Even if I fail 10 auditions, I won't quit until I win an Academy Award

However, one thing that's bothering me about this job is that I can no longer simply watch dramas or movies. Every time I watch a film, I find myself thinking about all sorts of things (laughs). But sometimes, there are times when I can set all that aside and become absorbed in the film. At times like those, I think, "Actors are amazing after all!" and I hope to become an actor like that someday.
What's most difficult for me right now is not passing auditions. I was really depressed when I failed 10 times in a row. There are many reasons for this, like not fitting the role, not being well-known enough, or not having enough acting ability. But I've decided that I won't give up until I win an Academy Award. That's why I've decided to only let myself feel depressed for that one day. I'll pamper myself as much as I can on that day, and then work hard from the next day, and I want to keep working hard until the day I win an Academy Award.

■My strength is being positive

I've left the world of tennis and moved into the completely different world of entertainment, and now I'm constantly filled with anxiety. I'm at the age where I'll be graduating from university this year. Everyone around me is graduating and finding employment, and they've secured what's commonly referred to as a "stable path." I'm filled with anxiety, wondering what the future holds for me and whether I'll be able to make a living from this job. But even with all this anxiety, I try to only look forward. I don't look back and think, "What if I lose this job?" If I ever find myself in such a difficult situation, I'll think about it then and there.
There's no point in feeling down. I think that spirit is something I've gained a lot from tennis.
Sometimes, my image isn't received the way I thought it would be, and I'm confused, thinking, "So that's how they see me!" But even then, I try to think of it as a blessing that they're objectively pointing out things I can't see. I want to cherish this "positivity" and "indomitable" spirit that are my unique traits in the future. From there, I want to be able to put my own character into the roles I play.

■ "Don't be fooled by love and wolves" is an exciting job

For this production, I only talked about myself during the audition and didn't do any acting, so I didn't find it particularly difficult (laughs). But it's not just a love story, everyone takes action. Otherwise there's no point in being in it. Seeing everyone in action like that, I learned a lot, like "so that's how they act."
There are 10 members in this production, and they all get along really well. Everyone has overcome hardships, so there are no barriers, regardless of age or gender. I also try to treat everyone on an equal footing, regardless of whether they're younger or older. We talk a lot about acting and work. Also, the amount of messages I receive has increased because of this production. It makes me genuinely happy to receive messages.

■ University is a time to prepare for entering society

Unlike high school students, university students have more free time and there are many things they can do. However, after graduating from university there is society, and university is a time to prepare for that society, so I hope that students will do what they want to do. I myself gave up my previous career as a tennis player to pursue this path. It's a path I never imagined, but it's a lot of fun. I hope that everyone will do what they want to do without any regrets. I'll do my best with you!

Interviewed by Student Newspaper Online on May 18, 2021 by Aki Kawanami, 3th year student at Tsuda University