Rena Matsui always knew she wanted to enter the acting world, and launching her career by performing in idol-pop groups was all part of her plan.

She started out as a member of the Nagoya-based SKE48 in 2008 before joining Nogizaka46 in Tokyo, becoming one of the top stars of Japan's many all-female singing and dancing troupes. In 2015, she left both groups to dedicate herself to acting.

“I was determined to be an actor, so I decided to be an idol in order to get that chance,” she says in a recent video call.