Mei Nagano Embraces Her Bold Image as She Enters a New Phase of Her Acting Career

Affair Rumors → Love Triangle Exposed

“I’m totally fine.”

That was the message actress Mei Nagano (25) reportedly sent to a close friend right after news broke about her love triangle with actor Kentaro Sakaguchi (34).

Even after intimate photos and LINE messages with Kei Tanaka (41) were leaked, she completely denied having an affair—showing that her mental strength remains unshaken. However, the woman who had been living with Sakaguchi, a hair and makeup artist, was driven to end their relationship as a result of the report, so things were far from fine.

Still, the affair rumors with Tanaka took a heavy toll on Nagano’s career. She stepped down from her radio show “Mei Nagano’s All Night Nippon X (Cross)”, and all her commercials were suspended. With back-to-back scandals involving an alleged affair and a love triangle, her pure and innocent image collapsed completely. One would assume she’s devastated—but according to an executive at a major talent agency, she surprisingly doesn’t seem to care.

“Unlike the previous affair rumor, this time the issue lies with Sakaguchi, who was seeing two women at once—Nagano did nothing wrong. Despite her public image as a pure and wholesome actress, she’s actually quite strong-willed. The fact that she flatly denied the affair with Tanaka and still managed to finish her drama ‘Caster’ (TBS) to the very end proves that.

Normally, when that much evidence comes out, most people would hold a press conference to apologize. But since she didn’t admit to anything, no penalty fees were charged for her commercials—it was entirely the companies’ voluntary decision. She once made headlines for posting a photo of herself with her beloved Harley-Davidson, blonde hair and all. That alone shows how tough-minded she really is.”

The Reason Behind Her Steel Mentality

There seems to be another reason why Mei Nagano has been able to remain calm and composed. A programming executive at a key TV network explains:

“Right now, Nagano has no new projects in the works. In the advertising world, just featuring her in a commercial leads to a flood of complaints from client companies, so there are no inquiries or pitches from ad agencies either.

Since Tanaka co-starred with her in the film ‘And, the Baton Was Passed’, and Sakaguchi bonded with her at a PRADA-hosted dinner where they were both ambassadors, some talent agencies are now refusing to allow their actors to appear alongside her. I think it will be difficult for her to appear on terrestrial TV for the time being.

I’ve heard Netflix had previously approached her with an offer, but it hasn’t been officially confirmed. In other words, right now, Nagano is in a position where she doesn’t have to worry about pleasing anyone.”

Broadcast writer Mihoko Yamada believes that this situation may actually open new doors for her:

“This controversy may allow her to shed her pure and innocent image and expand her range even further. She has always been highly regarded as an actress—known for memorizing lines quickly and rarely needing retakes, which many directors and producers appreciate.

While these scandals have strengthened her bold and passionate image, that could work to her advantage when playing femme fatales or free-spirited romantic roles.

Many actresses who started out in morning dramas struggle to break free from their pure image and often find their range limited as they enter their late twenties. For Nagano, this incident could actually be a great opportunity to broaden her acting repertoire.”

With her steel-strong mentality, Mei Nagano seems likely to turn even her second major scandal into fuel for her growth as an actress.

From the October 3 and 10, 2025, issue of “FRIDAY”