Natsuki Deguchi: Face everything head-on and take on new challenges

■Profile

In 2018, she was selected as "Miss Seventeen 2018" and became an exclusive model for the magazine Seventeen. In January of the following year, she made her first drama appearance and first leading role in the Fuji TV Young Scenario Award drama "Cocoa." Since then, she has appeared in dramas such as "Switch" and "Curry no Uta." FOD drama "1 Kin: A Love Forbidden to Those Under 2" and "Unsung Cinderella: ANOTHERSTORY - New Pharmacist Aihara Kurumi." She is currently appearing in two productions this season.

Natsuki Deguchi is a popular model in the magazine "Seventeen" who enjoys immense support from teenagers, and is now an up-and-coming young actress who is expanding her horizons in acting as well. She also appears in the currently airing "Girl Gun Lady" and "Kotaro Lives Alone." We spoke to the much-anticipated Deguchi about what led her to enter the entertainment industry and the dramas she is currently appearing in.

■After being scouted in Shibuya, she jumped into the entertainment industry, which was full of unknowns.

My debut came about when I was walking with a friend down Miyamasuzaka in Shibuya in the summer of my first year of high school and someone from my current agency called out to me. At the time, I just wanted to make the most of the limited time I had left in high school, and my parents were against it, so I never even considered working in the entertainment industry. However, when I actually met the people at the agency, they were all really nice people. Also, the staff members who were close to my age were enthusiastic and we became good friends, so I decided to start a career in the entertainment industry.

That's how I started working in the entertainment industry, so at first there was a lot I didn't know. I had never even taken a selfie before I entered the industry, so I didn't know how to pose or express myself as a model, and I practiced a lot. At first, I was unfamiliar with the "Seventeen" shoots, but the editorial staff created an easy-going atmosphere, and the models were all around my age, so I was able to get used to it after about a month.

■The turning point was the drama "Cocoa"

Little by little, I started getting not only modeling work but also acting jobs. When I joined the agency, I had never thought about working as an actress, so when I auditioned for a role for the first time, I thought, "There's no way I can do this." And when I actually auditioned, I thought, "It's not for me. I'm definitely not going to make it."

My first job as an actress was in the TV drama "Cocoa." Since then, I've become interested in acting, and although I didn't know what to expect because it was my first time, I started to think, "I want to try this more seriously."

■Pay attention to the characters who change as the story progresses

The currently airing drama "Girl Gun Lady" tells the story of high school girls fighting using plastic model guns. I play Inada Akiho, a girl who loves science and is a bit eccentric but has a good head for it. Akiho is usually calm and collected, but I wonder if there are some similarities between me and her. We might be similar in that we both want to be honest but are embarrassed to show our emotions. (laughs) I hope you'll pay attention to how Akiho, who is always cool, gradually changes her demeanor as the story progresses! Also, Akiho herself is a unique character, but each of the other characters she plays is also unique and there are plenty of highlights to see.

I also recommend the action scenes! There are a lot of gunfights and other scenes in this film, and it was my first time doing an action scene, so there were many difficult parts. However, looking back now, it was a really fun shoot. The action scenes are also a highlight of the film itself, so I hope you will pay attention to them.

■Play the role of a kindergarten teacher

Another work I'm appearing in is the currently airing drama "Kotaro Lives Alone." This time, I'm playing the role of Futaba Touko, a teacher at the kindergarten that Kotaro attends. When I heard about the role, I was surprised, thinking, "I can't believe I'm playing a working adult!" (laughs) Up until now, I've often had the opportunity to play life-sized characters that are almost the same age as me, so when I heard I was going to play a kindergarten teacher, I was surprised, but at the same time, I was worried, wondering if it would be okay.

Of course, I have no experience as a teacher and no memories of kindergarten, so to prepare for the role, I watched videos and tried to recall the atmosphere of kindergarten. I also asked my niece various questions, such as "What were kindergarten teachers like?", to expand my imagination.

■I want to play the heroine in a romance drama

There is no specific role that I want to play right now. Right now, I want to work hard at the job in front of me and gain a variety of experiences. There are still many things I don't know, but I want to do my best. My fans are also supporting me!
However, I personally love watching romance dramas, so I would like to play the heroine in a romance drama or movie someday!
In my private life, I don't have any hobbies, so my goal is to find one that I can get absorbed in (laughs). The other day, I was having a great time talking about fishing with my manager, so I'd really like to try it.

■Even if you think something won't work, you won't know until you try it!

Looking back on my life so far, I think it's important to take on challenges and face them head-on. Even if you get a chance, you might think, "It's too much trouble to take action, so I'll give it a go," but nothing will change unless you take action, so I think it's important to just try. I had never acted before, so when I auditioned for my first drama, I initially thought, "This won't do," and "I've failed," but by giving it a try, I became interested in the job of acting. It was the same with the audition for "Seventeen," and I think there were many things you wouldn't know until you tried. First of all, I want people to value taking on challenges!

Interviewed by Student Newspaper Online on April 16, 2021 by Yamamoto Masato, third-year student at Meiji University