Actress Anna Yamada recently finished recording the WOWOW documentary program "Professional Golfer Ayaka Furue: 24 Years Old, Always Challenging," for which she serves as narrator, and gave an interview. Yamada and Furue are the same age, 24. Regarding Furue, who became the fourth Japanese woman to win a major championship last year, Yamada said, "I respect her from the bottom of my heart. As someone of the same generation, I strongly felt that I wanted to become someone that people would want to support, just like her."
"Professional Golfer Furue Ayaka: 24 Years Old and Always Challenging Herself" will be broadcast and streamed on WOWOW Prime and WOWOW On Demand from 2:15 pm on January 25th.
The interview contents are as follows.
--First of all, please tell us your thoughts now that you've finished narrating this episode.
Being of the same generation, I am very happy to have been given this opportunity to narrate. Also, seeing Furue compete at the front line, I have a lot of respect for her. In particular, her constant smile and light-hearted appearance are things that she can only achieve because she is so calm and collected.
--Was there anything you kept in mind when narrating this program?
As someone with almost no experience in golf, I had only heard golf terminology before, so I had many people to teach me. As for the narration itself, I was instructed to "speak from the perspective of someone of the same generation, as if they were a distant friend." Therefore, I was conscious of weaving in expressions that only I could use from a life-sized perspective.
--This program depicts Furue, who is the same age as Yamada, as he strives to be the best in the world. Are there any parts that you can understand or sympathize with because you are the same age?
I had a deep respect for her attitude of striving to win the "Bear Trophy" (the lowest average score in a year) alone, even among players with the same score. I felt that her attitude of pursuing results while surrounded by many excellent players was something that was in line with my own work.
--If there was any part in this narration that you felt particularly empowered or emotionally connected to, which was it?
In the tournament scenes, Furue was impressive in how, even in seemingly uncertain situations, he faced each play with stoicism and produced solid results. When I read how he cried tears of joy at the moment of the result, I naturally became more powerful.
--Yamada-san, have you ever been so happy about achieving something that you cried?
I myself often shed tears of joy. When I'm working on a movie or drama, the happiest moment is when I hear from my family and friends that it was a great experience. I feel that each and every experience like that stirs my joy and emotions.
-- Golfer and actor are on different stages, but in the sense of aiming to reach the top of the world, I think you and Yamada have a lot in common. What does the peak mean to you, Yamada?
In my previous work, I focused on what was in front of me and worked with a sense of "living in the moment" rather than looking ahead. However, in the future, I hope to be able to perform in a more expansive field. Seeing Furue, who is my same generation, working hard, I renewed my desire to work even harder.
--In order to reach that peak, what do you feel is necessary, and is there anything you are doing to achieve it?
I believe that by valuing not only my work but also my everyday life and enriching my private life, I can gain something that will be useful when I play a role. If I am not rich in spirit, I believe that there will inevitably be times when I feel pain while acting, so I try to make my daily life firmly grounded. Meeting and talking to various people is also part of this. I don't do these things with particular awareness, but I think that it will ultimately lead to my work.
I myself don't feel like I'm possessed by a role when I play it. I believe that no matter what, I can only get hints about the role from the knowledge, feelings, and experiences I have inside me. Therefore, I want to first make sure that I'm in top physical condition and then be able to use a variety of drawers from there. I always try to think about how I relate to the role, which ways of thinking are similar, and how close it is to the feelings I have.
--Are there any similarities between you and Asirpa (※1), the character you played in "Golden Kamuy"?
Asirpa is a bit special; I've been filming her for a long time, and we've been involved for a very long time, so there's a kind of love that goes beyond whether we're similar to each other or not.
--Congratulations on winning both the Newcomer Award and the Best Supporting Actress Award at the 48th Japan Academy Film Prize. You have received many awards up until now, but how do you think being recognized has affected your acting and mental state?
I don't feel any pressure, I just feel happy. When people around me say "I saw your work," I often feel like "Ah, I'm glad I did it," but when I receive an award, it feels like an even higher level of joy. Being recognized in the world of acting, where there are no right or wrong answers, makes me want to praise myself, and at the same time, I feel more happy because I can share that joy in a tangible way with my manager and the staff on set who made it possible.
--I think that in order to perform well in any sport or entertainment activity, the support and encouragement of fans is a big part of it. What do fans mean to you, Yamada?
The presence of my fans gives me a great sense of security. Although I don't have many opportunities to meet them in person, I want to be an actor who doesn't shame those who support me. And in order to respond to the cheers I receive during stage greetings and other occasions, I want to convey my gratitude through my acting.
-Finally, please give a message to your fans and viewers.
I was asked to do the narration this time, and it made me want to watch Furue's matches and cheer her on from now on. Her play is full of the kind of charm that makes you think so. As someone from the same generation, I really wanted to become someone that people would want to cheer for, just like her. I tried to convey her toughness and serious gaze in the narration, so please take a look!
*1: The correct spelling of Asirpa's name is lowercase.
