Actor Masaki Okada is currently appearing in the movie "The Last Mile" (directed by Ayuko Tsukahara) as Ko Nashimoto. This work is directed by Director Tsukahara and written by Akiko Nogi, and is a non-stop suspense story in a "shared universe" that crosses the world lines of the dramas "Unnatural" (2018) and "MIU404" (2020). Ko, played by Okada, is a team manager in his second year at the company, working at the Kanto Center of a global shopping site, just like the main character, Elena Funato, played by Hikari Mitsushima. Okada talked about his character, Ko, and his future plans. (Part 2 of 2)
◇ "I was looking at Elena, played by Hikari Mitsushima, from a bird's-eye view in a way"
"The Last Mile" begins on the eve of Black Friday in November, one of the largest events in the distribution industry, when a cardboard box delivered from the Kanto Center of a global shopping site explodes. Eventually, it develops into a series of bombings that terrify all of Japan. Funato Erena, who has just taken up her post as center director, works with team manager Nashimoto Kong to resolve this unprecedented situation. Also appearing in the cast are Ishihara Satomi, Iura Arata, and Ichikawa Mikako from "Unnatural," and Ayano Go, Hoshino Gen, and Aso Kumiko from "MIU404."
The basis for Okada's performance as Kong was to "see things from the same perspective as the audience." "Kong is a character that sees things from the audience's perspective, so I thought that if I moved in any way, it would disrupt their line of sight. But when I thought about that, I wondered whether my attitude toward what was happening was right or wrong..." he said, as he played the role through trial and error.
He revealed, "I thought that my job this time was to help people understand what was happening in the film and which characters to focus on. In the scenes between Kong and Elena, I had no idea what Elena was thinking or what her actions were based on, so I thought it was important to see Mitsushima's performance in front of me, and I focused on that. I found myself looking at Elena from a bird's-eye view."
He continued, "The entire film is not from my (Kong's) perspective, and it changes halfway through. So I thought it was important to be a 'bridge', and I was particularly conscious of that when I was acting in the first half. In the second half, Kong himself changes, so from that point on, I acted with the idea that it was a session, or rather, something I was creating together with Mitsushima."
◇What Kong was entrusted with: "I hope we can think together"
The film deals with the real-time theme of logistics. "It's really the best entertainment, but Nogi's screenplay makes you think about the events and problems happening at that time," he said.
Regarding logistics, Okada said, "You can get what you want with the push of a button. I realized how many people are involved in getting it to you. I thought this movie was a good opportunity to think about things like, you know, you have to be at home at the time you specify."
He also sent a message saying, "I'm 'entrusted' at the end, so I hope that everyone watching this movie can think about what they've been entrusted with."
◇ "I want to come across a work that makes me want to face it even if it means giving up my career."
He recently celebrated his 35th birthday. Regarding his age, he said, "I think I've calculated everything in my mind. I've been planning for this work to be released at this time, and for me to do this work at this time. I wanted to be involved in a lot of works this year. I wanted to make this my 'year of working.'"
He is currently appearing in the currently airing NHK morning drama "Wings of the Tiger" as Koichi, the second husband of the main character Torako (Ito Sari). "I joined the show midway through, so I was very worried about how people would react, but I asked the staff about all the characters I was playing, and then I went to the set with peace of mind," he revealed.
Five years later, he will be 40 years old, and he said with confidence, "I've often heard from my seniors that the things you build up in your 30s come out in your 40s, so you should approach each production carefully in your 30s. I'm always questioning myself, wondering if this is really good enough, and how my acting is now, so I'd like to look back on my performances and find a production that I'd be happy to tackle even if it meant giving up my career up to that point. I hope I can carry that on into my 40s."
