Actress Abe Oto

2025.03.28

Whatever path you take, it's up to you to make it the right one

Actress Abe Oto

■ Profile
Born on November 2000, 1, in Osaka Prefecture.
Since 2017, he has been active as a member of the theater company "4 Dollars 50 Cents," produced by Yasushi Akimoto.
After appearing on Abema's "Don't be fooled by the midwinter wolf," she gained popularity as a gravure model.
In 2023, she will appear regularly in the TV Asahi series "Kamen Rider Gatchard" as Ginkgo Renge. She is currently also a regular model for the magazine "Biteki."

Abe Oto is an actress who has captivated many viewers with her acting ability to skillfully play a variety of roles and her expressiveness that perfectly embodies the feelings of the characters. We asked her about the secret to her captivating acting, as well as the things she kept in mind and the thoughts she wanted to convey when playing the role of Hanazawa Yui in the drama "You Are a Troublesome Fiance."

My older sister played a big role in my decision to perform on stage. She majored in performing arts at university, and watching her closely made me want to act. I passed the audition for the theater company "4 Dollars 50 Cents" and moved to Tokyo in my third year of high school, but the feeling of freedom outweighed my anxiety. I went on to university in Tokyo, but due to overlapping rehearsals I wasn't able to attend school very often. At the time, I was torn between wanting to pursue a career in acting and thinking that it would be better to get a job. But I decided that I should do something that I enjoy, so I narrowed my focus to a career in entertainment.

　The most rewarding part of acting is seeing the audience's reactions directly. When I hear direct feedback from viewers saying they enjoyed a certain part or receive comments on social media, I feel incredibly happy and rewarded. Another appealing aspect of acting is being able to become a different person. Of course, it can be difficult, but it's the joy and fulfillment that only an actor can offer! Sometimes, filming continues for days, from morning until night, so I make sure to go to bed early and get up early, and take an early bath when I get home to refresh myself. The atmosphere on set also changes depending on each shoot. When we're together for long periods of time, like when filming Kamen Rider, the cast and crew develop a family-like atmosphere. When I'm playing serious roles, I tend to keep things a little quieter on set. I try to change the way I spend my time on set depending on the role I'm playing.

■TV Asahi & TELASA romance drama series "You're a troublesome fiancé" highlights

In the production of "You're a Troublesome Fiancé," I hope you'll pay attention to the expressions on my face during the monologues. The characters' innermost thoughts and facial expressions differ, so I hope you can sense the conflicts they each face. There are also parts where I change the atmosphere with different facial expressions, and I'm conscious of the facial expressions I've honed on stage when performing the serious and comical parts.

■Hanazawa Yui and Abe Oto

I was honestly happy when I was chosen to appear in this drama. Hanzawa Yui is a cutesy girl with blunt bangs, which is something I've never tried before. It was fun to try a new hairstyle, and I was also very excited to play a cutesy girl.

She may seem reliable, but she's actually a clumsy girl. I think that Yui Hanzawa's personality is a little similar to mine. Because she's a bright and cunning character, I made sure to act cheerful in my daily life as well, and asked my friends for tips on how to be cunning, like looking up at me. The character of Yui Hanzawa is also impressive for her refusal to give up on anything. She's a strong-willed character, and even when rejected, she's able to move on and look forward, so I think anyone currently in love could take inspiration from her. I also feel that she's a character who encourages others. While love rivals are often disliked, Yui Hanzawa is a character who encourages others, even though she's disliked. At first, you might think, "Who is this girl?", but I'm sure that by the end, viewers will think, "What a nice girl."

■ Future outlook

I hope to be able to do many plays. Until now, I've mostly played cheerful characters, so I'd love to try playing a character that's the complete opposite. Also, no matter what role I play, I want to be an actor who can move people and give them empathy. I hope to become an actor that makes people think, "I want to be like that!"

■Message to university students

"Make the right choices in your life." I think it's important to act with this as the core of your thinking. I also struggled a lot with whether to continue attending university or pursue a career as an actress. If you can't decide on the path you want to take, I hope you'll just follow your heart without worrying about the risks. I believe that every choice is up to you. It's up to you to make that choice the right one. Also, during your time as a university student, I hope you'll keep in mind that even if you fail, you can still start over, and take on new challenges without overthinking it too much.

Interviewed by Student Newspaper Online on February 26, 2025 by Mayuka Kato, a third-year student at Otsuma Nakano High School