The second episode of the drama series " Who saw the peacock dance in the jungle? " starring Suzu Hirose (TBS, Friday 10pm) will air on January 31st. Based on the manga of the same name by Asami Rito, the suspense story intertwines the "love and destiny" of a parent and child caught up in a falsely accused case. In her 12th year as an actor, Hirose plays her first leading role in a full-scale suspense drama. We asked her about what she keeps in mind when playing the heroine Yamashita Komugi and the scenes that left the biggest impression on her.
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-What did you think when you read the original work?
I had stopped reading up to volume 3, but since everyone was talking about it, I got curious about how it was going to unfold, so I decided to read it, and the other day, during a break in filming, I read all six volumes. The sharp eyes of the characters made me feel more and more suspicious. I felt that the eyes of Kokoro Mugi in the original work were very impressive, and since I was reading the original work on my smartphone, I can look back on the parts I liked at any time.
-Is there anything you keep in mind when playing the role of Kokoro Mugi?
I'm thinking of changing it as we move into the second half, but the director requested that I "make it a little more childish." Kenichi Matsuyama's character, Yoshiteru Matsukaze, is unique, but Kokoro Mugi also has an elusive feel to him. He doesn't tell people what he's thinking deep in his heart, and he tries to stick to what he's decided in words.
In the first episode, I was conscious of not crying. I was impressed by the scene where she doesn't cry in front of people, and when she feels like she's about to cry, she tells herself "Don't cry, don't cry." If you try to show the strength to go straight ahead in what you've decided to do, it will make you less childish, so it's difficult to find the right balance, and I value the atmosphere.
--Kokoro Mugi always carries a waist pouch.
Kokoro Mugi carries two bags, and keeps things that can be quickly taken out in the waist pouch. At first, I thought I would put my smartphone in it, but it's difficult to take it out and put it back in when I'm in a hurry, so I haven't used it much... Inside, I also keep a notepad and a small wallet. I tried using it the other day, so please look forward to it (laughs).
-Is there any scene that left an impression on you?
I was not involved at all in the scenes with Endo Tomoya, played by Narita (Ryo), and I was filming without knowing anything about it, so I was surprised to see how it was filmed. In the second episode, Tomoya's painful past is revealed, and there are some parts where Kokoro Mugi and Tomoya overlap, so when I saw Tomoya, I felt like I had found someone similar. There are also scenes where not only their feelings but also their movements are synchronized.
--How do you spend your time between filming?
We spend a lot of time together. Each of us knows different amounts of information, so I get the impression that we keep a good distance between us. If we start talking too much, we'll immediately start speculating about who the culprit is (laughs). However, whenever I meet with Naomi Nishida, who plays Kyoko Akazawa, with whom I co-starred in a movie the other day, we talk about all sorts of things, and some of my co-stars tell me about their impressions of appearing on variety shows, so after the broadcast of "New Year's Eve All-Star Sports Festival," we were talking about it from before filming began until the end of that day's filming.
--I think the key point of this film is "belief," but when you believe in something, what is something that you yourself place particular importance on?
If I think I can trust someone on the spot, I tend to make a quick decision. When you can no longer trust someone or you are about to be betrayed, you feel some kind of discomfort right before it happens. This is true for people, environments, and things, too, and I go by intuition. What's more, I'm the type of person whose intuition is often correct. Intuition like "this will work" or "this won't work" may be the standard for what I trust.
--Do you believe word-of-mouth reviews about restaurants?
I will. If you say so, I'll go at least once. I don't get suspicious of fortune telling, and I believe in it quite a bit. I like it as a way of thinking, as a choice, as it gives me the feeling that I'm being guided by the results.
--Please tell us what the highlights of Episode 2 are.
We see Tomoya's painful past, and there is a different kind of love between Kokoro Mugi and Haruo (Lily Franky). There are some similarities with Kokoro Mugi, and it's a good kind of confusing, so I'm really curious to see how it will be conveyed to the viewers. I hope you'll keep an eye on Tomoya. Also, this episode is one in which Kokoro Mugi struggles with whether he and Haruo are really father and son, so I hope you'll pay attention to that as well.
