The TBS Sunday Theatre series "Diamonds Sleeping in the Sea" (Sundays at 9pm) starring actor Kamiki Ryunosuke will begin airing on October 20th. It is a story of love, friendship and family set in Hashima Island, Nagasaki Prefecture, which developed through coal mining from the beginning of the Meiji era to the postwar high economic growth period, and in modern-day Tokyo. We spoke to Shimizu Hiroya, who plays the protagonist Teppei's (Kamiki) childhood friend Kensho, about his enthusiasm for the film.
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The story is entertainment that depicts the "era of nothing but dreams and brimming with energy" from the postwar reconstruction period to the high economic growth period, and the "era of today when at first glance there is everything but young people cannot have dreams." It will be a much-anticipated work by the "Unnatural" team of screenwriter Nogi Akiko, director Tsukahara Ayuko and producer Arai Junko.
--Please tell us how you felt when you were chosen to appear in the film.
I was nervous about appearing in a Sunday Theatre for the first time, but also happy that I would be able to appear in the world of Nogi's work, as the script was written by Nogi.
--What was your impression when you read the script?
In particular, in the parts I am involved in, I felt that there was something very precious about the ensemble drama of young people Teppei, Asako (Sugisaki Hana), Rina (Ikeda Elaiza), and Yuriko (Tsuchiya Tao). The emotions are delicately portrayed along with their fluctuating relationships, and although I think it would be difficult to act, I felt happy to be able to live as the character.
--Please tell us what is the appeal of the role of Kensho.
He seems like a good guy who behaves kindly towards everyone, but in reality he is a delicate and lovable character. At first glance he may seem frivolous, but as the story progresses you can see his straightforward side, who doesn't want to lie to his feelings, and his somewhat timid and sensitive side, and I like him more and more as I play him.
Another important point is his relationship with Teppei. I am acting with the director Tsukahara's advice on how to portray the two childhood friends.
--What is your impression of the main actor, Kamiki?
This is the first time I've worked with him, but since we're best friends and have always been together, I hope I can learn something from him. Actors think about their roles and approach and create them, but if they are too rigid and complete, they can't make any changes to them. A role doesn't belong to us as actors alone; we need to understand the scriptwriter and director's thoughts on "what kind of person they want the character to be."
I think an actor's job is to find the right balance to follow your own ideas and get the role right. I get the impression that Kamiki is acting without compromising the image of his role while flexibly responding to the director's opinions and suggestions. I'm also the type of person who creates roles on set while communicating with the people around me, the director and all the other staff, so I feel comfortable acting with him.
--What do you think of the other co-stars?
The scale of the project was large, and there were times when I was strangely tense, trying not to let my guard down, but once I got to the set, all the members were childhood friends I'd worked with before, and they were just as warm as ever, so I was able to relax in a good way.
It's been a while since I last met Sugisaki-san, and she's a fun person, so when Kamiki-san and I were messing around, she'd laugh and point it out (laughs).
Tsuchiya-san supported me when we worked together on the (TV drama) "Cheer☆Dance" (TBS). This time around, it was just as fun, and it felt like she was watching over me.
Ikeda-san previously played my older sister in the movie "Sadako." I used to call her "older sister" back then, so today on set she called me "little brother" (laughs). It was a little embarrassing to meet her again after such a long time and greet her again...!
--It seems that location shooting was done in various places for this film.
Comparing the past with the present, there are definitely more convenient things now, but there are times when I think that perhaps freedoms like interpersonal connections and peace of mind were more prevalent in the past. I think that because there was nothing, people had the energy to work hard and stand on their own two feet.
Hashima is a lively place where people who live together in a small space worked hard together to develop the island. I hope to be able to express that liveliness by borrowing the power of the sea, the cityscape, and the location. It feels good to actually see the sea, and on the first day of filming, Kamiki and I had cider and talked while looking at the sea...it was fun.
--Finally, please give us a message.
The younger generation like us doesn't know what the era was like 70 years ago. But I think the question of how to find hope for the future is common to all eras. There's a tendency to have negative impressions of young people these days, with people not wanting to own a home and fewer people wanting to get married, but I hope that by watching the story of people who lived each day with hope, young people living today will feel that a bright future awaits them.
I myself have been inspired by reading the script. I hope that I can be of help to the production through my role as Kensho, so that it can become a work that helps the younger generation find even a little hope.
