Toru Baba plays Naohisa Morishita, a gastroenterologist at Osaka Shin-Yodogawa Memorial Hospital where Yui (Hashimoto) works, in the NHK morning drama " Omusubi " (General Asadora , Monday to Saturday 8:00 a.m. and others), starring actress Kanna Hashimoto . He talked about his thoughts on playing the character of Morishita and the medical scene during the COVID-19 pandemic.
◇ While acting out Morishita's "change," he realized, "I guess I've grown up a lot."
Looking back on when his appearance in " Omusubi" was decided, Baba said with a laugh, "I love watching dramas, and I was enjoying watching ' Omusubi' as a viewer when I was asked to appear in the show. The part that aired around the 3rd or 4th week was where Yui-chan was winning the heart of a gal, so my first thought was, what kind of role would I be playing?"
Morishita, played by Baba, is a character who, due to his strong sense of responsibility as a doctor, is not satisfied unless he knows everything about his patients.
Baba analyzes, "At first glance, he seems sociable and stubborn, but I think he is actually a kind, earnest person who puts his patients first and is considerate to them. But Dr. Morishita himself has been trying too hard, which has led to him getting tired, making it difficult to communicate, and becoming difficult to get along with. I think that because deep down he cares so much about his patients, he felt he couldn't entrust his own patients to the NST."
"Although he can be a little stubborn at times, seeing Yui and the NST members interact with his patients, he realizes that he has been making the patients feel uncomfortable, and I think his way of thinking as a doctor is gradually changing. The scene where the patient's family says, 'I couldn't speak because I was scared of Dr. Morishita,' was very memorable. I really felt that this had moved his heart and caused him to change, while acting. In the second half, he readily accepts Yui's suggestion that 'I want to do this,' and I think Morishita has grown up a lot (laughs)."
◇Looking back on the filming during the "Coronavirus Pandemic" in the 23rd week
The currently airing 23rd week, "Even though we are apart, we are connected," depicts the situation on the medical front lines during the coronavirus pandemic.
Baba said, "I think people will understand that doctors were going through some very difficult times at the time. Because we were filming, we were able to take off and put on the protective clothing, but I can't help but think how tough it must have been to actually provide medical care in that outfit all day."
"Through my role, I really felt how attentive they were to the details, wearing a tightly sealed mask, a nonwoven mask on top of that, changing the nonwoven mask for each patient, wearing two layers of gloves and throwing them away after each patient. Even while acting, the mask was sealed so it was hard to breathe, and I couldn't move my mouth the way I wanted to. I also had glasses over my eyes, so they were fogged up and I couldn't see who my co-stars were unless I looked closely."
Finally, he sent a message to viewers, saying, "Since this is the second half of a Asadora, there are some heavier scenes, but I would be happy if you could watch until the end. Also, now that I'm in my mid-30s, watching ' Omusubi' has made me realize the importance of nutrition and what I put into my body. Recently, I've been trying to take care of my intestines by eating foods rich in dietary fiber and actively consuming vinegar, and I would like to make this a habit. I would be happy if, through the drama, viewers could become at least a little more interested in diet and health."
