Matsudaira Ken plays Nagayoshi, the grandfather of the protagonist Yoneda Yui (played by Hashimoto), in the NHK morning drama series "Omusubi" (General TV, Monday to Saturday, 8:00 a.m. and other channels), starring actress Hashimoto Kanna. Nagayoshi is a free-spirited "nobusemon" fan of the professional baseball team Hawks. He is a very compassionate character who cannot leave anyone in trouble alone. Matsudaira talked about his role and stories with his co-stars.
◇Nagayoshi is a "free-spirited and carefree grandpa"
This year marks Matsudaira's 50th anniversary in show business. Surprisingly, "Omusubi" will be his first appearance in a morning drama.
"This is my first time appearing in a morning drama. When I was young, I often watched the daytime reruns and I was fascinated by home dramas, so I'm very happy that it has come true. People who watch period dramas may have a youthful image of me, but the role of Nagayoshi that I'm playing this time is appropriate for my age. I wonder if it will give away my age (laughs)."
About the character Nagayoshi that she plays, she explained, "Nagayoshi is a farmer, but he doesn't help out much with the farming. He's a free-spirited, carefree old man who stirs up trouble for his family. He likes to go out and is always going to places that are in the news, and he talks about how he's involved in the people and events that are in the news."
"He's a loving man who dotes on his grandchildren Ayumu (Naka Riisa) and Yui (Hashimoto Kanna), but he also gets into physical fights with his son Masato (Kitamura Yukiya). Nagayoshi is a man of action, and Masato is a serious, detailed type, so they're polar opposites, so they probably don't find each other interesting. I've never played a role like this before, so it's fun to play him. Nagayoshi's free-spirited way of going out may be similar to me. I'm also the type of person who takes action immediately when I get an idea," she said.
◇Hashimoto Kanna is a "cheerful and good girl"
Matsudaira says that on set, "it's fun and peaceful." "There are a lot of comedians in the cast, and the so-called 'Itoshima Five' do their impersonations in the dressing room. Thanks to them, our teamwork has improved," he says, laughing.
"Miyazaki Yoshiko, who plays (Nagayoshi's wife) Kayo, grew a big cabbage from a seedling she received during the Itoshima location shoot and brought it to the set, so we all ate it together. This is my first time acting with a gal, so when I asked her what she usually does, she said, "I'm a magazine model and I'm on YouTube!""
With Kitamura, "we sometimes improvise, like filming a long, continuous parent-child fight that's just two lines from the script," he said, revealing, "It's a bit difficult because we have to speak in Itoshima dialect, which is different from usual. I prepare two or three ideas for how to say things, and then go into the shoot with them."
Regarding the heroine, Hashimoto, he said, "She's a bright and nice girl. The first time we filmed together was in the scene (episode 4) where Nagayoshi took Yui to sell vegetables. I think Nagayoshi's line, 'Even if the vegetables are misshapen or ugly, there's no such thing as trash in this world,' is something that the gals in 'Omusubi' can relate to."
Finally, he sent a message to viewers, saying, "In 'Omusubi,' there are all kinds of family gatherings and quarrels and so on... I hope you enjoy watching Yui and Ayumu's growth in the midst of all that, and the growth of the Yoneda family as a family. There are heartwarming moments and outrageous moments, so I think you'll get to see all different sides to them. I wonder whether viewers will see Nagayoshi as a funny grandpa or a noisy grandpa... (laughs). I'm doing my best, so please watch."
