Actor Rina Asakawa will appear in the NHK TV drama series “Omusubi”.
Asakawa began his career as an actor in earnest in 2017, appearing in the films “Kaguya-sama: Love is War”, the movie “Otona Najimi”, the movie “Oi Handsome!!”, and the movie “Oi Handsome!!”. He has appeared in many popular works such as “Akabane Kotsu no Bodyguard”.
Armed with acting skills with a unique atmosphere, he played the double lead in the Nippon Television drama “Please Be Unhappier Than Me” in July 2014.
Asakawa will not only be starring in the morning drama, but will also be starring in the movie “49 Days of Truth,” which is scheduled to be released in 2025, and will play the heroine in the stage play “Kitayaji on the Road ~Iza, Departure!!~” in March. .
He has already been scheduled to appear in many productions next year.
This time, we interviewed Asakawa, who is steadily climbing his career as an actor.
We asked him a lot about his role in “Omusubi,” looking back on 2024, and his future goals.
–Regarding “Omusubi”, which you will be starring in from the end of this year, you will be playing the role of Mutan, a gal who is the junior of Ayumu Yoneda, played by Riisa Naka. Please tell us about the role of Mutan.
Asakawa: She is a junior gal to Ayumu, played by Riisa Naka, and I had the impression that gals have a strong sense of respect for their friends.
――Mr. Asakawa, the role was the complete opposite of your own character, so what did you keep in mind when playing the role?
Asakawa:I had the image of gals being positive and taking things in a positive light no matter what happens, so basically they just smile and say “yeah yeah yeah” and keep smiling. With an image. I played the role with that in mind in my own way.
――Mr. Asakawa himself was in charge of this, and Mutan was like this, so were you thinking about how to do it this way?
Asakawa：I think she’s free and natural, but she’s also very straightforward. I thought it would be good to have something consistent because I was free, and when I talked to people, I looked them straight in the eyes.
Also, why are you laughing here when you’re not laughing when you’re talking? There are times when that happens, right? When I played the role, I envisioned Mutan as someone who brightens up and calms those around me.
–I guess this is how you embody Asakawa-san’s image of a gal.
Asakawa: It feels like you’ve lost your imagination.
–As this is your first time appearing in a morning drama, did you have any impressions of it or any desire to appear in it?
Asakawa：I was very happy to be able to participate in a place where everyone has a goal and wants to be. I think morning dramas are a place that attracts a lot of people’s attention.
It was a great experience to be able to participate there, and above all, I was very grateful to be able to experience the morning drama scene, and I wanted to absorb a lot of things.
――Was there anything impressive or something you learned from actually experiencing the filming of a morning drama?
Asakawa: What was impressive was the number of cameras. I was surprised at how many there were.
Morning dramas require a lot of teamwork. I heard that everyone works together like a family for about a year, so I think this wouldn’t be possible without that trust, so I really appreciate the professionalism and teamwork of all the staff. I could really feel it.
――The filming itself started before Mr. Asakawa joined, so what was the atmosphere like among the staff and actors when you first arrived on set?
Asakawa：I had the impression that morning dramas had a lot of turnover in the cast, but there are a lot of staff members who are friendly and kind, and there is almost no nervousness like meeting someone for the first time, and everyone creates an atmosphere that is very easy to work in. I felt it.
――Next, how did you honestly feel when it was decided that you would be appearing in “Kita Yaji on the Road ~Let’s Depart!!”?
Asakawa:I didn’t have that much experience on stage, so I was a little nervous at first, but above all, I was happy that Wally Kinoshita-san approached me.
I was honestly happy that I was given such a wonderful opportunity, and I want to work on it with all my heart.
It’s my first historical drama, and I’ve always been bad at singing and dancing, but my goal for 2025 is to “never run away from things I’m not good at,” so I’ll try to overcome those obstacles starting in the new year. I think it’s the first step and it’s a good opportunity, so I don’t have any negative feelings at the moment, I’m really looking forward to it, and I’ve heard a lot of fans say they’re looking forward to it, so I have to do my best. I don’t think so.
――What is it that you are not good at performing on stage?
Asakawa:There was a time when I had to do a lot of things, and the pressure caused me to feel negative, and I thought that I wasn’t cut out for it.
This time, I had a great opportunity, so I thought about what it meant to look at the play I was looking at, what was the reason for moving when the play was moving, and when was the right time to move. The big thing was that I felt like I could play by expanding on various ideas and thinking about them.
The last time I appeared on stage, I was still a child, so I think that if I were to perform on stage now, I would have a different way of thinking, so I want to do my best through trial and error.
――Next, I would like to ask you about “49 Days of Truth.” What kind of work is it that you play the lead role in?
Asakawa: It’s a suspense-like closed room drama, but it has elements of a mystery in which everyone gathers in one room to find out who killed their deceased friend.
This work is similar to a stage play, and there are many new things, such as changing clothes in one long take. So, we also filmed on location in Kyoto, and I got to experience a lot of new things, like running around the streets of Kyoto and acting in front of a portrait of a deceased person.
Since it’s a closed room, it’s going to be a conversational drama, but we all rehearsed the tempo of the conversation over and over again, and we all talked about how we’d like it to be a conversation that doesn’t make the people watching feel uncomfortable. I want people to enjoy the tempo and things like that.
–I think it’s rare for a movie to take a long take of more than 15 minutes for a single cut.What do you think about it?
Asakawa:It was very difficult. We change clothes early, and we all bring our own things to connect with. The director and cameraman were filming for over 15 minutes with cameras attached to their shoulders, so it was really difficult for everyone to really concentrate and spend that time thinking only about that moment. I think now it was wonderful.
–Please tell us the secret to making your dreams come true.
Asakawa:I think it’s about making an effort. I think that being able to work hard is a talent. Continuing to do something steadily, even if you don’t see immediate results, do your best to do something for the future, for the future, or for something that will lead to something.
I think athletes, dancers, singers, and others are putting in extraordinary efforts. However, not everyone can do it, and I believe that it is only through continuous hard work that dreams come true. That’s why I want people who have the talent to continue working hard and believing in themselves.
I’m rather the type of person who doesn’t like it, so I’ve been able to keep going with baseless confidence like, “Oh, it’s okay. You can do it.”
――There are many people who lack confidence in their work, so even if you haven’t reached your dreams yet, please tell us about the factors and mindset that have enabled you to steadily build your career.
Asakawa: I think it’s positive in a sense. I don’t compare myself to others, so I tried to think of others as people and myself as myself.
I think each person has their own values and individuality, so I think it’s important to live your own life. If you don’t have that kind of feeling, it will be difficult to continue.
–Do you feel like you are able to calmly accept the results and facts of things, but decide on the next action based on the results without worrying about joy or sorrow?
Asakawa:I agree. What comes naturally to you may not be obvious to others. The other person may look up to you, but that may not be the case for you.
Therefore, I live my life thinking that if I find something that I can do and praise myself for it, things will surely move in a positive direction.
–That’s a really nice word! What kind of year was 2024?
Asakawa:I think it was a very intense year. I’ve appeared in a variety of productions, and I think it’s been an intense year for me as I’ve been able to challenge myself physically, physically, and mentally in all of them. However, no matter what I did, I think it was new to me and a lot of fun, so it was very fulfilling. Everyone tells me that I’m very busy in my private life, but I didn’t have to be like that and I was able to go to Disney a lot, and I was able to take a break and feel new at work, so maybe this is actually true. I think it’s a certain year.
――You said that you will face things that you are not good at in 2025, but how do you want to spend your time in 2025?
Asakawa: Because I tended to run away easily. When something bad happened, I looked for a loophole and went through it.Instead, I would like to face the things I dislike, fear, or dislike head-on and try to overcome them. For example, I don’t like tomatoes, but I decided to try them (lol). Try cooking tomatoes to see how you can eat them. I would like to spend this year working while exploring how this can be resolved and how I can eliminate negative feelings about it.
Born April 3, 1999 in Saitama Prefecture. His major works include the movie “Werewolf Game Madland” (his first starring role in a feature film), the movie “Kaguya-sama: Love is War”, CX “Dear Me, With Murderous Intent”, NTV “ Major Hospital Occupation”, the movie “Otona Najimi”, YTV’s “Please fill me up when you get back”, etc. He played the lead role in the Nippon Television drama “Please Be Unhappier Than Me” in July 2014. In the spring of 2025, the movie “49 Days of Truth” is scheduled to be released, and in March, he will appear in the first stage play “Kitayaji on the Road ~Iza, Departure!!~” It’s decided.
■Rina Asakawa X
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