Sexy Zone’s Nakajima Kento: “Great ambition” behind his graduation from the group
On January 17, “Josei Seven” reported on the love affair of Kento Nakajima (29) of “Sexy Zone. The couple, who is together with Reina Washio (29), formerly of “E-girls,” began dating about three years ago when they appeared together on a TV program, and last spring they enjoyed a five-day, three-night trip to Italy together.
Speaking of Nakajima, it was just announced on March 16 that he will appear in a special program on WOWOW that will broadcast the “96th Academy Awards Ceremony” on March 10 exclusively live, and that he will be the MC for the pre-program “The 96th Academy Awards Predictions” to be broadcast and distributed live on February 24. Nakajima will leave Sekzo on March 31, and will remain with SMILE-UP. as a solo artist. Nakajima will remain with SMILE-UP. and continue to work as a solo artist.
Sekzo was originally formed by the late Janie Kitagawa, who highly valued the talents of its member Katsutoshi Sato, 27, and made him a core member of the group. After their debut in 2011, Sato was the most popular member, but Nakajima and Fuma Kikuchi (28) have emerged as actors and TV personalities.
The group’s name, named by Janney and said to have sexual connotations, will be changed on April 1, and Nakajima commented, ‘I want to move on to a new path at the turning point of 30 years old at the timing of the group name change. He announced that he would be leaving the group. It is believed that Kikuchi will be the core member of the group from now on.
Nakajima has already played leading roles in the ongoing drama “Living Matsunaga-san” (Fuji TV) and in movies such as “Silver Spoon” (’14), “Nisekoi” (’18), and “Confess Your Crimes” (’23). He has already established himself as a leading actor with starring roles in “Silver Spoon” (’14), “Nisekoi” (’18), and “Confess Your Crimes” (’23).
In 2010, it was announced that he will appear as a main cast member in the major international drama “Concordia” (to be broadcast/distributed worldwide in 2012), and he also participated in the filming of the drama in Italy. She is making her long-awaited debut in an international drama series. The reason for his decision to graduate from the group and his big “ambitions” for his future activities were clear.
I have been confiding in those close to me for the past few years that I wanted to pursue a full-fledged overseas career. He originally grew up in a movie-loving family and became familiar with English through subtitled films, and memorized phrases from Western songs by listening to them. Furthermore, as she enjoyed conversing in English with former Sekzo member Marius Ha (23), she became fluent in English before she knew it.
During WOWOW’s coverage of the 92nd Academy Awards ceremony, she successfully interviewed Hollywood stars including Pon Joon-ho, who won Best Director, and Renee Zellweger, who won Best Actress, with her fluent English and passionate reportage filled with love for movies. He became a topic of conversation as he greatly demonstrated his previously little-known talent.
As he participated in overseas productions and experienced the local atmosphere at the Academy Awards ceremony, he was driven to try his hand at more and more overseas productions. The staff and co-stars of the films he has been involved with have been very receptive, and there are many “supporters” for him to try his hand at overseas productions,” said a film industry insider.
In the past, when a member of a group that debuted with a CD under the old Johnny’s’s had to leave the office at the same time, it was a standard practice for the member to leave the office at that time, but Nakajima announced that he would remain with the group. However, Nakajima announced that he would remain with the group. The reason for this is said to have a lot to do with the “reform” of the old Johnny’s, which has moved to a new structure.
This year, there has been an unbelievable number of hot love reports and marriage announcements from the old Johnny’s, and we can see the new regime’s flexible response in terms of leaving the group. When Ikuto Kawai (36) left A.B.C-Z last December, saying that he wanted to become an MC, he remained with the group. Kawai has already established himself as a “Johnny’s impersonator” and commentator, so the office probably accepted his departure without hesitation.
Nakajima’s departure from the group was reportedly due to Fuma Kikuchi’s rise to prominence, but his direction was different from Kikuchi’s to begin with. Perhaps he wanted to leave the group named by Mr. Janney, whose sex-assault problem has become a hot topic overseas as well, in order to expand overseas. Following the example of Nakajima and Kawai, it is becoming easier for members of the group who have found new goals to leave the group,” said an entertainment reporter.
It seems that Nakajima is obligated to fulfill his “ambition” in order to lead the way.
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PHOTO: Yuri Adachi (1st), Ippei Hara (2nd), Kazuhiko Nakamura (3rd), Yusuke Kondo (4th, 5th), Takahiro Kagawa (6th)