Kyohei Takahashi of the popular group " Naniwa Danshi " is appearing in the Sunday Theatre " Mikami Sensei " (TBS, Sunday 9pm) starring actor Tori Matsuzaka . In the 8th episode broadcast on March 9th, it was revealed that he will be playing the role of Itsuki Tokura, a student at Tokyo University. We asked Kyohei about the role he played and his aspirations for his 25th birthday.
◇ "I'm good at being cool." Do smart people speak slowly?
Regarding playing the role of Tokura, he says with a smile, "During the costume fitting, the director told me, 'I want you to look like a cool Kyohei,' so I replied, 'Leave that to me. That's the only thing I'm good at' (laughs)."
"We are about to start filming the scene where he talks about his feelings (as of the time of this interview in February), and although he doesn't have many lines, I thought a lot about how to show it and where to take his feelings, and I had a lot of discussions with the director and staff," he said. "At first we wondered what hair color to use, and since he's a graduate, we wanted to make him different from the current students, so we looked at a photo of him from his previous appearance in 'My Home Hero,' and thought, 'this looks good,' and decided on that."
Regarding his role as a Tokyo University student, he expressed his joy, saying, "It's a role that's unique to me, so I'm grateful."
"People often tell me that I look smart if I stay quiet. I have the image of a smart person speaking slowly, so I'm trying to act that way," he said.
◇I envy the students in Mikami Sensei's class.
"Each student has their own characteristics, and some of them have a bit of a dark side. When I see the way (Mikami Sensei) interacts with and treats such students, I envy the students in Mikami Sensei's class," he says.
He said he quickly exchanged contact information with Daiken Okudaira, who played Kanzaki, with whom he filmed scenes.
"The first time we were together, we just passed each other for a moment, but I was determined to become friends with her, so I kept pushing her and asked for her contact information that very same day. I was jealous of the people filming in the classroom, so I've been hearing a lot about her through Okane."
Takahashi's junior, Takeyuki Mayumi, a member of the Kansai Junior group AmBitious, also plays Hatano Yu, a student in Mikami Sensei's class.
"Mayumi is a very energetic girl, and I heard from Okane that she is doing her best. She's a mood maker."
He also blushes and says, "It's awkward" about appearing more often with younger actors.
"Because I've always been around people younger than me, it's hard to get used to being the one being treated the same way (laughs)."
◇Acting is simply fun. "I hope I can give something back to myself and the other members."
As you appear in more movies and TV dramas, have the things that directors and others say to you about your acting changed?
"Of course, I do get praised and I also get a lot of advice. But when I'm acting, it's just so much fun. I like thinking about what to do, and if I'm given advice, I want to accept it honestly. All in all, it's fun."
The fun of acting comes from being an idol. "By showing various roles, I hope to be able to give back to myself and the other members," she said.
"In terms of acting, I want to stay pure forever," he said. "I want to take the advice I've received from various people head-on, add to it, and put it all out there."
February 28th was his 25th birthday. When asked about his aspirations, he said, "I intend to live to be 100 years old, so a quarter of that has passed. I feel like I've had a very fulfilling life in this quarter. In particular, the last year or two have been very fulfilling, as I've been appearing in this production." He added emphatically, "I hope to be able to show what I've learned from these various experiences in various places, and I hope the quality of my acting will improve."
