The fourth episode of the drama series " Who saw the peacock dance in the jungle? " starring Hirose Suzu (TBS, Friday 10pm) will be broadcast on February 14th. Suzu Hirose plays Kamii Takashi, a reporter for the magazine "Weekly Jidai". Kamii, who appeared in the series right after Yamashita Haruo (Lily Franky) was murdered, is a troublesome character who snoops around Kokoro Mugi (Hirose) with dirty feet. We asked Isomura about what he kept in mind when playing Kamii and the scenes that left the biggest impression on him.
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-Was there anything you kept in mind when playing the role of the reporter Kamii?
Kamui is a character who you don't know what cards he has in his hand, and he suddenly appears, so I want to make him an impactful character with a bit of a unique quirk. So I tried to make his lines sound like he was nagging. I think that if I can develop the lines in a way that makes the other person feel like they're rolling around in the palm of my hand, I can make the conversation very interesting.
--You said that you were tackling the project without reading the original work before filming began, but what happened after that?
I haven't read it yet because I felt that if I read it halfway through, the original Kamui would come out. I thought that if I didn't read it this time, I would be able to create a way for Kamui to appear and a character image that is different from the original. I'm doing it this way as my strategy.
--In order to create the essence of the character Kamii, did you ever take inspiration from any reporters you have actually met?
I meet with writers and reporters from various media, and each and every one of them has their own unique personality. Among them, I pick out the ones with the strongest quirks that left an impression on me, and incorporate their expressions and the way they look at things that I think might suit the character of Kamui.
--Looking back on what you've done so far, is there any scene that stands out in your memory?
Kamui unilaterally throws words at Kokoro Mugi that shake him up, but the confrontation with Matsukaze, played by Matsuyama Kenichi, is a lawyer, so he needs to be more skilled at negotiating than Kokoro Mugi or he will be pushed around, so it requires a lot of concentration. Matsuyama actually comes up with so many different things that I can't predict how he will deliver the lines, so it's a lot of fun to act.
In episode 4, there is a game of confrontation between the two. Until now, Kamui had been able to set up traps so easily, but Matsukaze had never been able to do so, but for the first time, he succeeds in setting one up, and the negotiations continue to evolve, so I hope you will look forward to it.
--There are some funny parts in the dialogue scenes.
I think it's okay to create moments that create a rift, or moments that are fluffy, but since Kamui is a character who is usually in charge of serious parts, it's quite difficult. However, when he confronted Matsukaze in the second episode, I made a comment when he imitated the cheerful Yasumura-san. During the "New Year's Eve All-Star Sports Festival", I was able to meet Yasumura-san himself, and we all took pictures together (laughs). The exchange in that scene was fun.
--Please tell us about how you spend your free time, including any routines unique to this filming location.
I guess it's a routine to search for the culprit (laughs). Because everyone brings new information. Actually, I received new information today, but I was told not to tell anyone about it, so if anyone wants to hear it, we could exchange information or even negotiate with each other (laughs).
--That's a typical Kamii idea.
I'm thinking of changing the way I do things and releasing information little by little (laughs). But I don't just talk about my speculations; I also talk about my hobbies. I have a lot of scenes with Hirose and Matsuyama in particular, and all three of us like to exercise, so we talk about sports, like how we spend our days off and what we do on a daily basis.
--This is your first time acting alongside Hirose and Matsuyama. What were your impressions of working with them?
I thought that both of them were soft-spoken, frank, and talkative, compared to the impression I got from watching TV and movies. I had the image of Matsuyama as a quiet person, but when he spoke he would use his dialect, and it was a new discovery for me that he is a very beloved person. But when it comes to acting, both of them face each other as Kokoro Mugi and Matsukaze, so it's fun to interact with them.
--I think the key point of this film is "belief," but what is something that you yourself consider particularly important when believing in something?
It's difficult, because even if you believe in someone, they can easily betray you. Rather than people, if you have dreams or goals, I think it's important to imagine a future where you can absolutely achieve them, and make yourself believe in them.
Before my debut, I thought, "I want to be an actor," and created various images in my mind, like, "I'll appear in these kinds of dramas and movies. Then everyone will fawn over me!" At the time, I was very reckless, and I knew it was a tough world, so I felt like I would lose if I didn't do that. I think it's important to keep believing in yourself in order to keep your spirits up, and it also helps you become more positive.
--Please tell us what the highlights of Episode 4 are.
The fourth episode is a turning point for the story, and it features the story of Haruo (Lily Franky) and Susumu Someda (Toshiya Sakai), a ramen shop owner who has a deep relationship with Kokoro Mugi. Kamui is also having secret meetings with certain people... There are still many things that have yet to be revealed, but each part of the story will be revealed, so I hope you will look forward to it.
