I translated the interview Mio gave to the Daily Shincho. The original is not structured like an interview, but more like an article with direct quotes from Mio. There's more about her experience in Call Me by No Name, and also her own personality. Plus some extra info about that scene at sea!!!
Call Me by No Name, currently airing in the MBS DramaPhil slot since January 9, tells a unique love story that begins at a garbage dump. Playing the protagonist, Megumi Yotsugi, who picks up a beautiful girl at the dump is Mio Kudou (25), in her very first leading role in a serial drama. We asked her about her thoughts on the new series, and her dedication to the craft of acting.
Based on the novel of the same name by mystery writer Yuuki Shasendou, the drama starts with college student Megumi picking up Kotoha Furuhashi (played by Ichika Osaki) abandoned in a garbage dump. Megumi is immediately drawn to this girl, but it turns out that Kotoha isn’t her real name. Kotoha proposes a wager: until Megumi manages to guess her real name, they will be lovers. Megumi, who wants to be friends with Kotoha, decides to accept the wager, starts dating her and gradually begins to get closer to the past surrounding her real name.
“When I got my hands on the original novel, I just couldn’t stop reading because I wanted to discover Kotoha’s real name together with Megumi. The dialogue in the novel is very peculiar, giving you the impression of solving a subtle mathematical problem. I also felt the challenge of it all, and wondered just how deeply I would be able to delve into this complex love story with my acting.”
Playing the mysterious Kotoha who bewitches Megumi is Ichika Osaki. This marks the first on-screen reunion in five years between the two of them. Being co-leads for the first time and only having a one-year age gap helped them connect quickly.
“During the script reading, Ichika told me ‘I want you to become a source of salvation’. But from my perspective, she’s the reliable one, though she also possesses a very cute side. There’s this sort of child-like quality to her, and she’d be smiling all the time when the cameras weren’t rolling. When I was around her, I’d end up feeling just like Megumi being swayed by Kotoha’s charm. Ichika embodied Kotoha so naturally, and that allowed me to put my full trust in her and freely express Megumi’s emotions.”
Mio Kudou began her career in the entertainment industry in 2009. After several experiences in modeling and photo shoots, she rose to fame thanks to Rider and Sentai series, and specifically with her roles in Kamen Rider Ghost and Mashin Sentai Kiramanger.
“Kiramager, in which I had the privilege of
playing the heroine, Kiramai Pink, was created as a team effort by a
group of actors from the same generation. Everyone was so driven. The
experience made me feel like I wanted to challenge myself more.”
Last year, she also stood out with roles in the drama Hospital Police Force
(Innai Keisatsu) and the movie Honeko Akabane's Bodyguard (Akabane
Honeko no Bodyguard). However, she admits she used to struggle with
expressing emotions in a straightforward and direct way.
“The character I play in this drama, Megumi, has the strength to fearlessly confront other people, and to honestly express her feelings. I’ve always had the tendency to hold back my emotions, so I felt a deep sense of admiration while playing Megumi. Director Yuuka Eda put a lot of care into shaping Megumi’s personality, and she directly addressed any aspect I struggled with. I believe it’s also thanks to that, that I was able to bring out even the deepest of Megumi’s emotions.”
Like any good love story, Call Me by No Name also includes an aquarium date and a confession scene between Megumi and Kotoha.
“Truth is, I have a fear of water, to the point I’m not even able to go into a swimming pool (smiles wryly). And yet, there’s a scene where I must get into the sea and confess to Kotoha…Focusing on my acting helped dispel the fear. It’s the first time for Megumi to openly express her feelings to Kotoha, and the experience allowed me to get a clear understanding of the depth of her love for Kotoha”.
There has been an increase in drama series
depicting girls’ love in recent years. Examples are Chaser Game W and Ayaka is
in Love with Hiroko.
“I’ve actually been wanting to try this kind of role, but I didn’t expect to
receive the opportunity so soon, let alone as a lead, so I was very surprised!”
“I wouldn’t say I’m a very resilient person, but I’m definitely determined and competitive. If there’s something I can’t do, I won’t stop until I am able to do it. I don’t care if it takes me more time than it would anyone else, I want to overcome my challenges. I’m also not particularly strong mentally, but I’m always able to keep going, driven by the thought “If I can’t believe in myself, who will?”. In regard to acting, I feel like overthinking can be very detrimental. What allowed me to get closer to Megumi was following my instincts and act on my feelings.”
No comments:
Post a Comment