Rin Kataoka "Diamonds in the Sea" Interview Part 2

Kataoka Rin is appearing in the TBS Sunday Theatre drama "Diamonds Sleeping in the Sea" (Sundays at 9pm) starring Kamiki Ryunosuke. In the modern part of the drama, Kataoka plays Chikage, Izumi's (Miyamoto Nobuko) granddaughter who passed the entrance exam to medical school. Kataoka, who has left a strong impression with her roles as Misae in the NHK morning drama "Wings on a Tiger" broadcast this year and as Shinako, one of the triplets living in a "doll house" in the currently airing Fuji TV "Monday 9pm" drama "Rhetoric of Lies Solved," we asked her about what she learned from Kamiki and others on the set of "Diamonds Sleeping in the Sea," and about episodes from the filming. (Part 2 of 2)

◇On the set with such a distinguished cast: "It feels like I'm acting, but I'm not"

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 high economic growth period after the war, and in modern-day Tokyo. The series is being produced by the same team behind the TV dramas "Unnatural" and "MIU404" (same series) and the film "The Last Mile," with screenwriter Nogi Akiko, director Tsukahara Ayuko, and producer Arai Junko.

Kataoka said of the atmosphere on set, "It was very warm, and the cast and staff were all really friendly, so even when we were acting and after cut, it felt like time was passing very naturally."

When asked about his impression of lead actor Kamiki, who plays the host Reo in the modern-day parts, he said, "Before I met him, I had the impression that he was a bit mysterious, but when I actually met him I found him to be very gentle and flexible in his acting. His lines weren't exactly as scripted, and he ad-libbed and acted very boldly in parts that weren't in the script."

Kamiki is said to be quick to switch gears on set, and she was surprised, saying, "When the cut is called, I'm like, 'Huh?' He seems to change so suddenly (laughs). The aura around him becomes that of a different person (laughs). I think the way he switches is really amazing."

Working with such a distinguished cast, including Kamiki, on set seems to be a source of nourishment for her as an actor, saying, "It feels like I'm acting but I'm not, and I'm learning a lot from working with them."

◇Omi Toshinori and Miyazaki Tomu have fun with "Showa entertainment"

She said she had a great time on set with her co-stars Omi Toshinori, who plays her uncle, and Miyazaki Tomu, who plays her father, saying, "I'm a little interested in Showa entertainment, and the two of them spoke to me very enthusiastically about it."

"I heard a lot of stories, like when movies were the most amazing era, and then TV dramas started to take over and the atmosphere on set became like this. There were a lot of very interesting stories, like the first movie you saw, and how movies were shown in double features at the time."

When asked about the "entertainment from the Showa to early Heisei eras" that interested Kataoka, he said, "When I was little, my father used to watch 'Serenade of the Past Days' (Fuji TV, 1989). He told me before that the acting of the actors was really realistic and wonderful, and told me, 'If you're going to act, you should definitely see it.' I also like a lot of works, like 'High School Teacher' (1993, TBS)," he said, his eyes shining.

He said that he and Omi do ad-libs, like "fist pumps, we put our fists together, which isn't in the script..." and that he is able to act freely, saying, "I use props and do things freely."

◇Elaiza Ikeda is "sexy and wonderful"

Since Kataoka is appearing in the modern part, she is watching the past part that unfolds on Hashima as a viewer. "Of course I read the script, but when I actually see it as an image, I understand the characters well, and it's a difficult situation, so I'm really enjoying it as a viewer, wondering what will happen," she said.

Among the cast of Hashima, she said, "Personally, I like Elaiza Ikeda's acting. I think it's sexy and wonderful. I hope she does her best," she said with great affection.

As for the identity of Izumi, who is a hot topic among viewers, she said, "I knew it before I read the script, but when I found out, I read it again from the first episode (laughs)." She also sent a message saying, "I'm so moved by the way she is so desperate to live and love people that even reading the script makes me want to cry. I think the most important thing is the gap between the past and the present, or the contrast, so I hope you'll look forward to seeing how my role can contribute to this work in the future."