I translated this interview with Ichika and Mio for Eiga Channel. The interview was published on January 30 but was done before the drama started airing.
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The drama Call Me by No Name began
airing on January 9 (Thursday) in the MBS DramaPhil slot. It’s a new-generation
girls' love story filled with heartache and unskillfully expressed emotions confined within
a limited period of time. We conducted an interview with Mio Kudou and Ichika
Osaki, who star as leads in the drama. We asked them in-depth questions about
their character preparation and behind-the-scenes stories from the set.
— First of all, could you tell us what aspects you focused on while preparing for your roles?
Mio: “Megumi Yotsugi is a woman with a strong sense of duty, yet she also possesses a very delicate, kind and caring side. At first, she’s completely thrown off balance by Kotoha (played by Ichika Osaki) but she's not merely influenced by her, she also gives something back to her, as well. And it’s within this balance that she falls in love.
I personally tend to worry too much about my surroundings and often end up making myself small. So, when it came to preparing for the role, even more than the work I did on set, it was important for me to try and be more assertive in expressing my opinions in my daily life.”
— So, you changed your very mindset in your everyday life. What kind of things were you able to speak up about?
Mio: “It was really just very small things, like clearly saying what I wanted to eat when I went out for a meal with a group of people (laughs). Or I would try making suggestions openly, based on my predictions of what I thought everyone wanted to eat. I became very mindful of approaching things in this more assertive way. Up until then, I would always only depend on others.”
Ichika: “I had no idea”.
— Do you find any similarities between yourself and Megumi?
Mio: “Hmm… maybe our stubbornness (laughs). Also, our straightforwardness when it comes to the people we like.”
— Kotoha Furuhashi is quite the mysterious character, isn’t she? (to Ichika)
Ichika: “My approach was completely opposite Mio’s, as I prepared for the role by dramatically separating it from my personal life. Something I really focused on in order to become Kotoha was maintaining composure. The behavior that exudes confidence and sensuality is a key point when it comes to Kotoha, so I tried my best to play her in a way that would allow me to win viewers’ hearts.
— There’s no doubt your performance is quite intense.
Ichika: “I tried to get used as quickly as possible to delivering my lines calmly and confidently, while also making sure I didn’t feel tense or nervous in a negative way.”
— That sounds very difficult.
Ichika: “I’m aware that in general, and not only for this role, when I get too nervous my range of expressions starts to become limited. So, I really made it a point to try and stay relaxed just the right amount. In preparing for this character, I really paid attention to inserting pauses in my lines, and expressing in a composed manner.
— Do you find any similarities between yourself and Kotoha?
Ichika: “I think the inability to easily accept what we’re told is a similarity between us. For example, if in the work context someone tells me “You did great today”, I end up doubting them, thinking “Yeah, right. Liar” (laughs). It’s probably not that I don’t trust people, but that I doubt myself, always feeling like “Yeah, there’s no way”.
So, I believe that being incapable of fully accepting people’s words, kindness and love is something I have in common with Kotoha".
— Did you two have any discussions regarding your acting?
Mio: “Now that I think about it, I don’t think we really did.”
Ichika: “More than discussing things in advance, I feel like we somehow understood what the other’s ideal performance was. As we were reading the script, we would get a grasp on the flow, in terms of movements and acting. Like, if Mio moves like that, I will respond in this way, and so on. It felt like a collaboration that didn’t need words. To me, at least! How was it for you, Mio? (laughs)”
Mio: “I felt like I just wanted to straightforwardly respond to whatever I would feel coming from Ichika at any given moment.”
— It seems like a sort of mutual understanding developed naturally between you two.
Mio: “There were many moments where I felt like we had a deep connection, like we really got each other!”
Ichika: “So true!! (laughs)”
Mio: “For real. So many times. It made me so happy (laughs).”
— That sounds so heartwarming!
Ichika: “For some scenes, the director would give the green light pretty much immediately. Then there were times where she would hesitate to call the “cut”, but even that turned out to be a very positive experience.”
— What a wonderful filming environment. What sort of discussions would you have with director Yuuka Eda?
Ichika: “During the costume fitting, I remember talking with her about the character’s story and inner nature.”
— It sounds like fun, working like this with another woman.
Ichika: “During breaks, we would talk about things completely unrelated to the role, such as our daily lives, or what we usually think about. I’m very grateful I had the opportunity to share such frank and open conversations with her. Director Eda’s words possess a depth that allows her to get at the very heart of everything. Ultimately, I was thankful also when it came to my acting, since there were many moments in which I found myself thinking “What director Eda said that time applies perfectly to this scene!”.
Mio: “Looking back, I feel the very same way.”
— Do you two keep in touch in your private lives?
Mio: “We finally exchanged contacts around the time we wrapped up filming the drama. I’d love to go eat out together once things settle down (my note: they did manage to do that, on January 11). We also found out that, surprisingly, we both enjoy drinking, though I always keep it in moderation. (laughs)”
Ichika: “I’m really happy we grew close!”
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