In 2023, Hanano Harada won the grand prize at the 3rd Star☆Audition, an audition sponsored by Stardust Promotion, and entered the entertainment industry. The 14-year-old, who has striking dark eyes, revealed, "I take in a lot of light into my eyes, so people say I have a good line of sight." In the drama series "My Precious" (Fuji TV), which will be broadcast in October 2024, she plays the middle school version of the main character played by Wakana Matsumoto, and we spoke to Harada, who is quietly attracting attention.
◇Selected as the image girl for "Waseda Juku"
Harada was born on April 4, 2010, in Hiroshima Prefecture, and is a second-year junior high school student living in Kanagawa Prefecture. She was selected as the grand prize winner along with Sato Kurumi from among 16,397 applicants in the 3rd Star Audition. In 2024, she will appear in a commercial for Morning Ma'am (Fujiya). She was a finalist in Miss Seventeen 2024, an exclusive model audition for teen media Seventeen (Shueisha), and was also selected as the 14th image girl for Waseda Juku.
The big thing for her was her drama debut in "My Precious," and she also appeared in FOD's original story "Boku no Takaramono."
"It was my first time filming a drama, and I imagined the set would be a tense place, but there was a warmth that supported me, an inexperienced person. I tried to act as well as I could, even if it was just one expression or one emotion, even though I wasn't good at it. When I saw the finished video, I couldn't believe that I was in it, but I was also moved, and it made me want to work harder at my acting."
She names her senior at the agency, Mei Nagano, as an actor she admires.
"In dramas and movies, she plays her characters to the fullest, but when she appears on variety shows, I think it's wonderful to see her different sides, her bright side and her funny side. Watching her gives me energy. When I was little, I watched the Asadora"Hanbun, Aoi" starring Nagano-san, and although I don't have a clear memory of it, I was 'smitten' with the atmosphere between her and Takeru Satoh-san, even as a child."
Currently, she is auditioning for video jobs, including commercials.
"Right now, I'm hoping to get roles little by little and spread my presence through those productions. I hope to become an actress who can play leading roles someday, so I'd like to get a little closer to that goal first."
◇ Willing to try again for "Miss Seventeen"
Harada looks back on 2024 as "a year filled with many 'firsts'." In addition to appearing in the drama, the "Miss Seventeen" audition was also an "important experience" for her.
"I had auditioned for commercials and advertisements before that, but I had no experience as a model. I gave it a try, made it to the finals, and I think it was an important experience that will benefit me in the future."
Becoming an exclusive model for "Seventeen" is the same path that my idol, Nagano, has taken.
"Seventeen models have a clean, pretty, sparkling, and refreshing image. This time I was eliminated at the last minute, so instead of giving up there, I want to try again as long as the conditions allow."
Harada-san originally liked watching dramas and movies. She also likes singing, and the songs she often sings at karaoke are "songs from my mom's generation," according to her, such as "Hanamizuki" by Yo Hitoto and "Kabutomushi" by Aiko.
Harada also says that people often make an impression through the eyes, saying, "Because the eyes take in a lot of light, people say that the gaze is often directed that way." When asked about his aspirations for 2025...
"I will be in my third year of junior high school from spring and will be taking entrance exams, so I want to do my best to balance work and studies. I would like to take the Miss Seventeen contest again so I can show my fans how I have grown since last year, and I also hope to get as many acting jobs as possible."
