Singer-songwriter milet plays the heroine in the film "Shiranai Kanojo" (directed by Miki Takahiro), starring Kento Nakajima. This was her first time appearing in a film, and her first foray into full-scale acting, and she even wrote a new theme song for the character she played, "Maezono Minami." After seeing the finished film, milet revealed, "I thought it was a wonderful movie, even the scenes I wasn't in, and I felt relieved." We spoke to her about what she learned from the role and which scene was the most challenging for her.
◇ "It's okay to be more yourself and be free."
"The Unknown Girlfriend" is a fantasy love story based on the French film "Love, Second Sight."
Riku (Nakajima) and Minami (milet) met in college, fell in love at first sight, and got married. Eight years later, Riku has become a popular bestselling author with Minami's support, but one morning he wakes up to find that Minami is nowhere to be found, and he is confused by the lack of conversation he is having with the people around him. To his surprise, Riku has become an editor at a literary magazine, and the sight and songs of "Maezono Minami," a top artist he has never met, are spreading across the city... This is the story that unfolds.
Milet's impression of Minami, the character she played, was that "She is a girl who really values music, and at the same time, she also values the things surrounding music, her environment, and the people who support her. But outside of music, she is also the kind of girl who sometimes lies about her own feelings and has become accustomed to trying to make things work."
"I'm just like Minami, sometimes I can be a nice girl, so I think that's similar to me, and I could really empathize with Minami's determination to be honest and show her true self."
Milet also said that during filming, "The role of Minami gave me a push, and I learned a lot from her."
"It's okay to be more myself, and to relax in a good way. Music is free, so it's okay for me to be free too. There were times when I felt cramped while making my own music, so I think the biggest thing I learned from Minami this time was that it's okay to take the weight off my shoulders and be free and honest."
◇ "I was worried that I might cry."
For milet, who celebrated five years since her debut last year, this was also a very fortunate encounter.
"When I'm making music, I have a lot of fun and feel invincible, but when I let my guard down I get sick and sometimes wonder if I'm really doing the same thing. Then, through the filming of this movie and the role of Minami, I feel like I've been able to think more about what kind of music I want to make and what kind of life I want to live, just like Minami talks about her ideal life, and I hope to continue making time to face myself in the future."
Milet, who empathizes with the role and said, "There were many similarities with my image as a solo singer fighting alone," felt that the scene in which Minami sheds tears was even more challenging.
"In the scene where Minami reads Riku's work and tears well up, I was worried whether I would be able to cry. I even practiced crying, but even though the tears came out, it felt like there was no emotion behind it, so in the end I went to the day of filming with that same feeling of anxiety...But during the actual shoot, I was able to cry right from the very first take. It made me realise that I really sympathised with Minami, and that I had been able to empathise with her feelings without even realising it, and it made me really happy."
