Masahiro Higashide Faces Criticism for Remarriage After Being Blessed with a Child But Remains Likable According to Movie Insider

Masahiro Higashide, the actor who announced his remarriage after being blessed with a child, has stirred some buzz in the public.

At the end of August, Higashide announced his marriage on his YouTube channel. His partner is former actress Karen Matsumoto.

Higashide married actress An in 2015 after they played a married couple in the NHK morning drama “Gochisousan” in 2013. They had three children together, but in 2020, reports of his affair with Erika Karata surfaced, leading to their divorce that same year. Naturally, he faced a storm of criticism.

Though his work opportunities diminished due to the affair, he was able to continue his acting career, and filming for a new movie began in the fall of 2021. However, he found himself in trouble again.

It was surprising that he had a new girlfriend at that time, but reports in October 2021 by “Shukan Bunshun” revealed that he had called her to the filming location for a date. While such behavior was often seen among older actors, it certainly raised eyebrows for Higashide.

 

Even in a mountain lifestyle, there were “multiple women present.”

Moreover, this was during the COVID pandemic. It seems that the president of Higashide’s agency became furious and immediately terminated his contract, leading him to work as a freelancer afterward.

Since around winter 2021, he has often been featured in the media for living a “semi-self-sufficient lifestyle” while hunting in the mountains of northern Kanto. However, reports surfaced that he was living with three young women, sparking criticism on social media.

In reality, the women were living in separate rented homes and sharing food, so the claim of “cohabitation” appears to have been misinformation. It would be more accurate to describe it as “cooperative living.”

However, one of these three women turned out to be his wife, which sparked further controversy. According to Higashide, they began dating this year, but his wife is already pregnant, and they are expecting their first child next spring.

On social media,

“Even though he said he didn’t have that kind of relationship with the women, it turns out that he did after all.”

Criticism and comments like this emerged.

In May of this year, during an appearance on internet television, Higashide stated:

“I want to be the kind of dad who can say to my daughters and sons, ‘You can always come to me if you need to.’ So, I’m not considering starting a new family at all.”

Given that he had already begun dating Karen at that time,

“How careless can he be? He hasn’t changed at all.”

It’s understandable that he faced such criticism.

An insider from the film industry who knows Higashide well said the following.

 

Behind his declaration of not starting a new family

“This is both his good and bad side. When asked about his feelings at that moment, he speaks honestly. During the affair scandal, when a female reporter asked him who he preferred, An or Karata, he responded, “I think discussing my inner feelings here would hurt my wife.” This really reflects his personality. While honesty is admirable, he can be clumsy about it.

So when he said he wouldn’t have a new family, he may genuinely not have intended to remarry at that time. Perhaps his girlfriend felt the same way. But I think having a child changed his mind. Still, there was probably no need to speak about it so explicitly. While he faced criticism, I believe that Higashide won’t be discouraged by it now.”

Higashide spoke in a past interview:

“I think I was able to become more reckless because I realized I didn’t have to worry about anything anymore.”

He probably doesn’t pay much attention to the criticism on social media. Moreover, such criticism won’t last long; it will eventually be forgotten.

Even after the affair scandal, Higashide’s acting career did not come to an end. According to the aforementioned film insider:

“There are many friends and junior colleagues who visit him at his ‘mountain cabin.’ Some media personnel even come not for interviews. Once people interact with him, they all become fans. His earnestness and dedication to everything attract them, and many directors and staff want to work with him. During the affair scandal, he was heavily criticized, with some saying he was a terrible actor, but that’s definitely not the case. You can’t continue appearing in films solely because of a good personality.”

This reveals the reasons why he continues to receive offers to appear.

In a past interview, when asked about his “ideal,” Higashide responded:

“My ideal is to be a ‘lone wolf,’ living independently and autonomously. I want to become stronger both physically and mentally. If I become stronger, I can accomplish many things, help others, and broaden the range of my acting. I aspire to be strong.”

There is nothing stronger than a “lone wolf” who has something to protect.