Rin Kataoka "Diamonds in the Sea" Interview Part 1

Actor Kataoka Rin plays Chikage, Izumi's (Miyamoto Nobuko) granddaughter who has been accepted into medical school, in the TBS Sunday Theatre drama "Diamond Sleeping in the Sea" (Sundays at 9pm), starring Kamiki Ryunosuke. Kataoka has left a strong impression with her mysterious charm as the "psychopathic" Misae in the NHK morning drama series "Wings on a Tiger" which aired until September, and as Shinako, who lives in a "doll house" in the currently airing Fuji TV "Monday 9pm" drama "Lies Solved Rhetoric". Chikage in this production is said to be a "cheerful character", but it is a character who seems to have a quirk. We spoke to Kataoka about this production and his work as an actor. (Part 1 of 2)

◇Making his TV drama debut in "Ishiko and Haneo" - same production team: "I hope we can show him as he's grown up"

The drama is a story of love, friendship, and family spanning 70 years, set in Hashima (Gunkanjima) in 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. It is produced by the team behind the dramas "Unnatural" and "MIU404" (same channel) and the movie "The Last Mile", with screenwriter Nogi Akiko, director Tsukahara Ayuko, and producer Arai Junko.

Kataoka is 21 years old and was born on October 6, 2003 in Gunma Prefecture. The videos and photos he posted on TikTok and Instagram, which he opened in the spring of 2021, attracted attention, and he joined the talent agency "Flamme" at the end of the same year. He made his TV drama debut in the same channel's drama "Ishiko and Haneo - Sue Me for That? -" (2022), produced by Arai and directed by Tsukahara.

When Kataoka's character Chikage made her first appearance in the third episode of "Diamonds Sleeping in the Sea" (broadcast on November 10th), social media was abuzz with comments such as "Kataoka Rin-chan has an incredible presence," and "She was discovered in Ishiba and completely met Arai-san's expectations!". In addition, when it was revealed that Chikage was a host addict and had spent 4 million yen on host clubs as "debts," comments such as "Misae has returned to the dark side..." were seen.

This is Kataoka's first time appearing in a drama in the "Sunday Theater" slot. Kataoka said that the drama that left the biggest impression on her was "Hanzawa Naoki," saying, "I had the impression that it was a very historic slot. My parents often watched it when I was little, so I feel very honored to be able to appear in it."

Regarding appearing in a work produced by the same production team as her debut work "Ishiko and Haneo," she said, "Ishiko and Haneo was pretty much the first time I had lines, but I remember that when I acted crying, the feeling of how much fun I had remained strong in my body. I was very happy to be able to work with them again this time, and I hope to show that I have grown even more since then."

◇ Producer Arai also gave her advice, saying, "It's good to be cheerful and always carefree."

After reading the script for "Diamonds Sleeping in the Sea," she said, "I thought it was a really epic story. The cast was great, and the scale was big, so I was excited to see it turned into a movie, and I was looking forward to it."

Regarding the character she plays, Chikage, she said, "When I met Arai-san on set, he told me that Chikage's character should be cheerful and always carefree. I thought that Chikage was someone who was being told by her mother (Miho Jun) to 'live like this,' but when I got to the set, it wasn't like that at all. She seemed more relaxed and not too worried, and I got the impression that she's not so gloomy, but more cheerful." Her character changed on set.

However, Chikage is not just a naive rich girl, but a medical student who passed the entrance exam, but is a "not easy to understand" character who spends 4 million yen at a host club, perhaps out of loneliness or to escape from the restrictions of her parents. Kataoka says that she has never actually been to a host club, saying, "It's an unknown world, so I did some research, and I imagined that women who go to such places want to be fulfilled or fill a hole in their heart."

She continued, "Until now (such as in "Wings of the Tiger" and "Lies to Solve Trick"), I've played a lot of roles that tend to be withdrawn, but this time I'm playing a role that requires a positive attitude, so I tried not to think too much about it. I was conscious of making it a little simpler, not like my previous roles."

　Misae's psychopathic performance in "Wings of the Tiger" was "full of happy reactions," such as "it was beautiful" and "it was scary." In response to such reactions, she said with a mischievous laugh, "I managed to fool them well." "It seems that the impression of the morning drama was strong, because I appeared in a "Monday 9" recently, and the description said, 'Here comes the psychopath!' (laughs)." In this work, Chikage does not have a suspicious atmosphere, so she said, "I hope people will see a different side of me," her eyes sparkling.

　◇I like funny things, and I want to try comedy

　Currently 21 years old. In her 20s, she wants to "appear in many roles and productions that can only be done at this age."

"I would like to appear in roles that require uniforms, school-themed or romantic roles, comedic elements, and other works that are full of youthful energy. I love funny things, so I'd like to try comedy," she says.

"Until now, I've played relatively many characters with problems, so from now on I'd like to try playing a character that is incredibly cheerful. I haven't done much comedy acting, but I find it really fun to shout out loud and use my body to the fullest. It's a pleasure, or maybe even a sense of exhilaration," she says.

As she gains more experience, she aims to become "a one and only actor." She states her ideal: "I want to become an actor that only I can play this role. I'd like to be the kind of actor who gets offers for roles that are specifically for Kataoka."

We look forward to keeping an eye on Kataoka's various expressions, as well as his "cheerful" performance in "Diamonds Sleeping in the Sea."