Rinka Kumada takes on the villain role for the first time in "DOPE" - "I deliberately try to smile" when acting

Takahashi Kaito of the popular group King & Prince and actor Tomoya Nakamura co-star in the drama series "DOPE" (TBS, Friday 10pm). Rinka Kumada plays Izumi Ruka, a former member of the Special Investigation Division of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's Narcotics Control Department, who is now a member of the White Crow (crime syndicate) led by Jiu (Rinka Kumada Iura). Kumada, who has attracted attention with comments such as "her villainous acting is great" and "bad Rinkuma-chan is great," we asked her about her preparations for taking on the role of a villain for the first time.

◇ Excited about his first "villain" role

-Please tell us how you felt when you received the offer to appear in the film.

I was very surprised because I never thought I would be offered the role of a villain. It was a role I had never played before, so I was very happy to have the opportunity to take on this challenge.

-What do you think of Izumi as a character?

Izumi has a history of quitting her time in the Special Investigation Division after perceiving Watanuki (Hikaru)'s guidance (played by Araki Yuko) as power harassment. At that time, Ji-woo unexpectedly finds his way into the gap in her wounded heart. I was able to empathize with him in some way, thinking, "It can't be helped if someone finds their way into that gap." He's a character that gives the impression that he's not a bad person at heart. Unlike Ji-woo, who is shrouded in mystery, I have the hope that he still has some humanity left, and I'm playing him with the hope that this comes across.

-Was there anything you were conscious of when creating your character?

At first, I was nervous because it was my first time playing a villain, and all I could think about was, "How can I look bad?" During the costume fitting, producer Hasegawa (Haruhiko) told me, "I want you to be the real Kumada." He said, "It's interesting because the Kumada who is taking a life is smiling, just like when we talk normally," and I was really shocked (laughs). That made sense to me, and it made it much easier for me to grasp Izumi's character. So when I act, I make a point of smiling.

-This will be your first time taking on a full-fledged action film, but you've been interested in it for a while.

I've always loved moving my body. Recently, I had the opportunity to get involved in a little bit of action through a project, and I was thinking about doing it more seriously when I was approached about this role.

-How did it feel to actually perform the action scenes?

I had been practicing action scenes before filming began, but it was difficult when I actually tried them. I usually go to the gym, but I felt the difference in stamina between me and the other members of the action team. Even though I was out of breath, I was often told, "Let's do one more" (wry smile). As I continued to practice, I gradually got used to it, and I was happy when the members of the action team praised me.

--Izumi's special ability is her strong legs. What are your impressions of the action scenes that use her legs?

When I first heard about it, I wondered, "What kind of action will it be?" When I think of action, images of punches or pushing with arm strength like Watanuki come to mind. When I thought about kicking action, I got the impression of spin kicks and pushing movements. I was worried about whether I could do it, but when I actually tried it, I found that there are many different types of kicks, such as front kicks, side kicks, and horse kicks, and it is more difficult than I thought.

◇The friendly atmosphere on set: "Takahashi-san's unexpected joke..."

-Please tell us your impressions of the two leading actors.

I imagined Takahashi to be a person with a gentle demeanor and a friendly personality, and when I actually met him, he was just as I imagined. I've only worked with Nakamura in one scene so far, but I got the impression that he's a calm and friendly person. He communicates equally with everyone, and I get the impression that he's a very kind person.

-Please tell us about the atmosphere on set.

On set, it feels like an atmosphere has been created where the other cast members will chime in on Takahashi's unexpected jokes (laughs). Due to Izumi's role, she doesn't have many scenes where she interacts with the members of the Special Investigation Division, but just seeing the friendly atmosphere makes me feel happy. Of course, there are many tense scenes, so the atmosphere can get tense at times. But generally, the set has a friendly atmosphere.

-What is your impression of Iura, who plays Jiu?

Iura-san's presence has been a great help in creating the character Izumi. Whenever I'm unsure, I ask him, "I'm having a bit of trouble...", and every time I do, he gives me precise advice. He's always watching over me in front of the monitor. There is a scene in this film where I kill someone, and as I have no experience with such scenes, he gives me specific advice like, "If you do it like this, it will look much cooler." It's not like the relationship between Izumi and Jiu, but I can't help but feel like, "I want to follow this person."

--The story depicts a clash with Watanuki. Not only did you co-star with Araki in the Sunday Theatre drama "Goodbye Maestro: My Father and I's Appassionato" (same station) in 2024, but you are also friends as senior fashion magazine models. Was that something you were conscious of when filming?

I first faced Yuko in the scene under the elevated tunnel in episode 5. It was a serious scene, so I remember being conscious of keeping a distance between us. Because we are usually close, I wondered "What should I do in a situation like this?", and I was particularly unsure of how to spend my free time. However, it turns out that Yuko had deliberately refrained from talking to me on the day. I once again gained a newfound respect for her as a senior, and I'm always grateful for that.

-What were your thoughts when you played the role of an antagonist opposite Araki?

It was a strange feeling to play a relationship in a world line that doesn't exist in our private (space) (laughs). At the same time, I was nervous, but because I know Yuko-san as always being kind, I was able to entrust myself to her and approach the filming. I think the reason I was able to act relaxed without any special meetings was because of the relationship we have in everyday life.

--There were some action scenes as well.

Watanuki's strength is his strength, so he targets the upper body, but Izumi attacks the lower body. So they need to memorize each other's movements and act in sync. There seems to be an amazing showdown scene at the end, so I'm looking forward to it.

--By the way, if you could gain any supernatural power, what kind of power would you want?

I would like to be able to teleport so I can travel as little as possible. I would also like to be able to teleport from my house to my destination without getting wet on rainy days (laughs).

-Finally, please give a message to our viewers.

Going forward, even more intense action scenes will unfold, and Ji-woo's plot will be revealed, making the story even more exciting. I hope you enjoy the story while thinking about how Izumi will act in the future.