Actor Anne Nakamura plays Kanna Hashimoto, a surgeon at Osaka Shin-Yodogawa Memorial Hospital where Yui (Hashimoto) works, in the NHK Asadora drama series "Omusubi" (General TV, Monday to Saturday, 8:00 a.m. and others), starring Kanna Hashimoto. The 23rd episode, "We're Connected Even Though We're Apart" (broadcast March 10-14), depicts the reality of a hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic, and realistically portrays the struggles of medical workers facing an unprecedented crisis. "I acted while wearing a mask, and remembered the difficult situation at the time," says Nakamura. We asked her about what she kept in mind when playing Kamata and what roles she would like to try in the future.
◇ "Meal" I was surprised by Kamata's lines
Nakamura plays Kamata, a surgeon who was recruited from a hospital in Tokyo by the chairman of the board of directors because of his skills. He is polite but self-centered. He leaves post-operative nutritional support to the dietitian. His straightforward character, who calls food "meshi," exudes presence.
There are many scenes in which Kamata is treated harshly at work, and Nakamura recalls, "The lines are a little strong, with Kamata calling her meal "meal" and the character being written in a way that really stood out, so I was surprised when I started reading the script."
"The word 'meshi' (food) is not something I'm used to saying, so I searched for the right way to say it. Depending on how you say it, it can sound scary, so I was conscious of the tone of my voice so that it didn't sound too forceful. I tried not to come across as arrogant, but to convey the simple feeling that 'I want patients to eat their meals' and 'I want to help patients.'"
During the interview, Nakamura-san left an impression with her gentle smile and calm response. In dramas and movies, she often plays "strong women" like Kamata, and she analyzed herself by saying, "I think the public image of me is that I have a pretty tough personality."
"In reality, I'm quite different, I laugh easily (laughs). I think I used to have an image of myself as a lively person, but recently I've been given more roles as 'good at my job and independent woman.'"
Regarding playing the role of an independent woman, she reflected, "Since I was a child, my mother often told me to become independent and live on my own as soon as possible, so I think I've often thought about the word 'independence' from an early age." She added, "Maybe that's why it comes to me so easily when I play roles like that."
◇What role would you like to play in the future?
Nakamura has played a variety of roles in the past, including a detective, a secretary, and a nurse at a veterinary clinic. Surprisingly, this is her first time playing a surgeon, and she expressed her enthusiasm, saying, "The role I played this time, Kamata, did not have any surgery scenes, so I would like to try doing one as well."
"I've been fortunate to have had the opportunity to play many different professions, but I also like works that depict the journey of helping or rescuing someone, so I'd like to try not only the role of a doctor, but also a role like a rescue team member. As I'm good at physical activities, I think a role that requires physical effort rather than a cerebral one would suit me better."
Nakamura, who is currently 37 years old, commented, "At my age, I would like to take on the challenge of playing a mother."
"I can imagine independent and cool women, but the role of a mother is a completely unknown quantity. I've never been a mother, so the only role I know is that of my friends' children. But as I get older, I think I'll have more opportunities to play mothers, so I'd like to challenge myself while exploring despite my lack of knowledge. I have a strong sense of curiosity and always want to try new things, so I'd like to challenge myself with any role," she said, her eyes shining.
There are only two weeks left of the broadcast of "Omusubi." Nakamura said, "Towards the end, the story will depict food, family love, and human drama with various people. I would be happy if you could watch until the end."
