The final episode of the TBS Friday drama "Fake Mummy" (Fridays at 10 PM), starring actors Haru and Rina Kawaei, will air on December 12th. At the end of the ninth episode, Kaoru (Haru) attends a joint meeting of the board of directors and the parent organization "Yanagiwakai," where she declares that she is not Iroha's (Ikemura Aoi) mother and turns herself in. Social media has been buzzing with comments like, "I can't stop crying at Kaoru's unexpected actions." We spoke to producer Nakanishi Mao, director Shimada Hirono, and director Miyazaki Moeka (崎はたつさき), who worked on the series, about the highlights of the final episode and behind-the-scenes stories from filming.
◇Great trust in Haru and Rina Kawaei
The drama is a serial adaptation of the winning work by Sonomura Mitsuru, who won the grand prize at the first TBS NEXT WRITERS CHALLENGE screenplay competition. Hanamura Kaoru, who suddenly quit his job and is struggling to find a new job, meets Hidaka Makie (Kawaei), the company's president and single mother, at an interview with the venture company RAINBOWLAB. Makie asks Hanamura to act as a substitute for her daughter Iroha, who is applying to a prestigious private elementary school, at the parent-child interview.
-What kind of communication did you have with the two main actors?
Producer Nakanishi: The acting of the two of them was fantastic, and everyone had tremendous trust in them. Above all, the way they played Kaoru and Maika was exactly what we imagined, and it seemed like the right choice, so when we handed them the script, there was no worry at all and we felt at ease. That was not just the two of them, but all the other cast members as well.
Director Shimada: Because it was an original work, I worked with the two main actors to come up with ideas and proceed with filming. The episode I was in charge of in particular had many emotionally charged scenes, so I think we had many careful discussions.
Director Miyazaki: Both of them are actors who are like "Kaoru and Maika" just by being themselves. First, we had them perform in a dry rehearsal (a rehearsal on set without cameras), and it was fascinating just to watch that. When we added our direction to that, the acting we got back was always beyond our imagination, and a synergistic effect was born.
-Please tell us your impression of Haru.
Nakanishi Producer: I had a cool image of her, but in this production, she showed off a lot of her adorable side, with comedic and romantic comedy-style tsukkomi, which made me happy. I wrote the script hoping it would be interesting, but she didn't just act matter-of-factly, she "got into it," which I think is why Kaoru has become such a beloved character, and I'm glad I was able to ask her to play Kaoru.
Director Shimada said, "If it's too much, please stop," but it was exquisite. Personally, I love the facial expression when she makes a retort to "Great Detective Sasael" (played by Nakamura Aoi, played by Sasaki Tomoya). On the other hand, Haru's "confessing her feelings" and "crying" were so realistic that I was captivated and always moved to tears every time I saw her.
Miyazaki: The scene in episode 3 where Kaoru is moved to tears by Iroha's composition was also wonderful. Later, when she secretly waves to Iroha in class, it's overflowing with the maternal instinct that was born in Kaoru. In each episode, the strength of Kaoru's core and the changes inside her as she lives as a single woman are carefully portrayed.
--What did you think, Kawaei-san?
Director Shimada: Kawaei-san seemed to be able to intuitively convey the real warmth and distance between mother and daughter, and I was deeply impressed, as you'd expect from a "real mommy." Her natural cheerfulness, instinctive sensibility, and outstanding quick thinking were truly impressive.
Director Miyazaki: She is someone who can portray Makaie without us having to say anything. She's great at expressing subtle facial expressions and nuances.
Nakanishi Producer: There are so many, but when he understood the script and the director's intentions and then presented the best possible expressions on set, like the scene in episode 1 where he loses his temper at the car behind him, or the way he says "I'm not rebellious..." at the tea party with the "three ravens" in episode 6, I was really impressed. Since he's a former delinquent, he did a lot of foul-mouthed acting, but even so, he has a charm that makes him impossible to dislike, and in fact, makes people love him, which I think is really amazing.
Director Shimada: Both Haru and Kawaei have an incredible transparency that makes it hard to believe they're acting. It goes without saying that they're great actors, but their every move feels natural and ordinary, like air or water. I feel that it's thanks to them that this film was accepted despite its unconventional setting.
-What is your impression of Ikemura-san, who plays Hidaka Iroha, and were there any scenes that particularly impressed you?
Director Shimada: I was amazed at how naturally he acted out a "natural childlikeness" that surpassed our intentions. Not to be outdone, we incorporated the real experiences and common experiences of real moms (dads) to make it look like a "real parent and child."
Director Miyazaki: It was a difficult role to play, with a genius mind, but I felt many times on set that "Ao-chan is the only one who can play Iroha."
Director Shimada: In the scene in episode 3 where Mamie carries Iroha who has fallen asleep, I initially envisioned her being held horizontally as if she were holding a baby, but Ao-chan was unexpectedly large... When Kawaei-san tried holding her vertically, it actually looked more like a baby, and created a natural parent-child atmosphere. In episode 4, in the scene where Iroha makes juice with her school friends, I was surprised to see Mamie in tears as she saw how much her daughter had grown, even though there was nothing written in the script. What was the background to that?
Director Miyazaki: Originally, we had planned to cut back to Iroha making juice and Kaoru on the roof (alternating between events happening simultaneously in different places), but after consulting with Kawaei, we added the "act of watching over Iroha." Then, as she looked at Iroha looking happy, tears naturally flowed. It really warmed my heart.
--What about Koji Mukai, who plays Kuroki Ryuma?
Director Shimada: He is simply greedy for acting. I heard that he takes a picture of what is displayed on the monitor for each cut on his smartphone and watches it later. Because he has experience in overseas productions, his dedication to his role, his experience and seriousness were clearly evident in his attitude.
Producer Nakanishi: He's always cheerful on set and never shows any signs of being tired, but when I asked his managers, it seemed like he'd been practicing a lot behind the scenes. I was glad that he was giving his all to the character of Ryoma. Ryoma is a little different from the characters Mukai has played up until now, and I'm sure he had some worries, but now I feel at ease knowing that the Ryoma played by Mukai is still Ryoma.
Director Shimada: His facial expression control is also superb, and the gaze he has when he has no lines is simply beautiful. He naturally conveys the emotional turmoil and growth of the characters. In episode 8, during the scene where Kaoru's mother, Seiko (Tsutsui Mariko), writes a letter, he was in tears from the first take. In terms of the filming order, Mukai's acting was filmed on the third take, and he was in tears all three times. During the actual shoot, rather than "acting," I felt like he was truly "living as Ryoma." Mukai said the same thing.
Nakanishi: I think episodes 5 and 6 in particular are packed with "Mukai's best moments." Also, the way he uses his voice is different from usual, and he takes on the challenge with a more reliable voice.
Miyazaki: Just having Mukai-san on set makes the atmosphere brighter. Mukai-san himself is an incredibly kind person. That's why the cast and staff are naturally drawn into him.
--What about Nakamura Aoi, who plays Sasaki Tomoya?
Producer Nakanishi: He says he doesn't look like Sasael, but we think he looks quite similar to him.
Miyazaki: The detective-like movements in the rooftop scene in episode 4 were also ad-libbed by him. In fact, filming had just begun, but he created a really interesting Sasael.
Director Shimada: I never thought Sasael would become a trending topic.
--Are there any other memorable episodes?
Director Shimada: How did you decide on Kasamatsu (Sho)'s "photo distribution" in episode 7?
Miyazaki: The stage directions said to "scatter" so I gave him a lot of material, and he scattered that amount while trying out various acting moves with Nakamura in a dry manner. If you tell him the general idea and leave it to him, he's the type who will expand on it on his own.
Director Shimada: In episode 8, it was his idea to use the oils from the pads of his fingers to stick the photo. I suggested, "What if we took it like a flyswatter?" and he suggested, "How about this pattern, given Shingo's current feelings towards Maika?" The scene in the flashback where Shingo hits his head hard against the beam was also his idea. It looked really painful, but it was wonderful because it brought out Shingo's humanity. Discussing each scene with Kasamatsu-san was probably the most fun part.
Nakanishi: He always shows up on set with a nonchalant attitude and proposes more entertaining acting than I could have ever imagined, so I was jealous every time, in a good way! Every scene that Shingo appears in is funny.
Director Shimada: In the scene in episode 9 where he confronts Maika in the president's office, the script simply portrayed him as a ruthless villain, but by digging deeper on set, we were able to express it as, "He thought he would be able to get back together with Maika, but the atmosphere was completely different, so he switched to taking everything from her," which brought out the character of Motohashi Shingo, which is addictive the more you watch it.
◇ How parents think about the fake mom role and the reality of child-rearing
-As a parent, how do you feel about this fake mommy contract?
Miyazaki: The fake mom setting is tricky to handle. I heard an interesting story while interviewing various schools during the production process. When asked, "What would you do if there really was a fake mom?", someone at one school replied, "It wouldn't be a problem." Of course, lying or pretending is not allowed, but it's not uncommon for families to be in common-law marriages or remarriages, and the school apparently answered that way because they felt there was no need for special checks. I realized that such flexible thinking exists, and it made me realize the changing times.
Producer Nakanishi: Ryuwa Gakuen Elementary School is set in a deliberately conservative setting, but entrance exams have also changed with the times. So, in all 10 episodes, we didn't just depict whether the fake mom would be found out by the school, we also tried to add another dimension, whether the Motohashi family would find out or not.
Director Shimada: I think many people will sympathize with the situation that was mentioned in episode 7, where Takanashi Yumi (Kakei Miwako) struggles with raising her child alone.
Miyazaki: In dual-income households, the ease of living and working depends on how well you secure support from people other than the parents. I think there are all kinds of family environments and circumstances, but I think it's reassuring to have people who support you, not just family members.
Director Shimada: That's true. It would be helpful if grandparents or other relatives were nearby, but there are times when they aren't there or you can't ask for help.
Director Miyazaki: Although there are more and more support systems, such as family support, they still have some aspects that make them difficult to use.
Director Shimada: It would be nice if it became a little easier to use babysitters.
Nakanishi: At first, you might be a little worried about who you're leaving your child with.
Miyazaki: The initial hurdles are high, both financially and mentally. I think many people end up taking on the burden alone.
Nakanishi: In part, it helps ease the burden of raising a child, and I think Kaoru is like a "buddy" to Mamie. When I read the screenwriter, Sonomura Mitsuru's award-winning work, the first thing that came to mind was the movie "The Intern" (2015). I felt that Kaoru was similar to that kind of presence, where someone gives you opinions from a different perspective, or is there by your side, and your life gradually improves.
This may be a bit off topic from the fake mom contract discussion, but I think that when women get married or have children, they tend to be somehow divided into single people, married people, people with children, people without children... It can become difficult to casually invite them out to dinner, and distance can grow between us.
But this time, by "trying to somehow support" Iroha, people from different positions are living together. I thought that this situation itself could be a small source of hope. I'm sure there are many people who feel isolated while raising children, but at times like that, I thought it must be very reassuring to know that "there is someone who supports the mother herself."
Director Shimada: It might be easier to raise children if not only private elementary schools, but also kindergarten and nursery school systems were made a little more in line with the times.
Nakanishi: I also learned a lot from this series. While touring the elementary school, I realized the importance of creating a good environment for children. And while reading the viewers' comments, I was reminded once again of how precious children are, which encouraged me to try my best to raise my children.
◇ Keep an eye out for the "unpredictable developments" in the final episode
--Please tell us what to look forward to in the final episode.
Director Shimada: This film focuses on the relationships between family and parents and children, but I would also like viewers to pay attention to the outcome of the "sisterhood" and "mom friends." I often ask my wife about the mom friends' situations, and I really think that "mom friends" are a strange relationship, different from regular friends. Many mom friends appear in this film, and I think many of the relationships and troubles similar to those in the drama actually exist in real life, so I think viewers will be able to empathize with them. If you think about the situation that Motohashi Sayuri (Tanaka Minami) is in, it would be too painful to bear. One of the highlights will be how this mom friend relationship develops in the final episode.
Director Miyazaki: One of the charms of the final episode is that you don't know where it's going to end. When I saw the viewers' reactions on X (formerly Twitter) when it aired, I could sense that they were paying close attention, wondering what would happen. I think viewers will enjoy the suspense of wondering whether it will have a happy ending or an unexpected conclusion. Although the premise is quite unexpected, I think there are many elements that viewers can relate to, such as the way women live and work, and the worries they have about raising children. I would be happy if this drama can make viewers feel like they're not alone, make them feel even a little more positive, and serve as encouragement to viewers.
Producer Nakanishi: In addition to the suspenseful developments in episode 9, the final episode clearly shows the balance of social questioning and comedy that is characteristic of "Fake Mummy." I hope you'll look forward to seeing how the charms of the characters and the personalities of the actors will affect the ending. The straightforwardness of Haru and Kawaei's characters, the new side of Mukai and Nakamura's characters, Iroha's cuteness...the charms of these characters are also a major part of the appeal of the entire work. You can enjoy the suspenseful developments, and I hope you'll watch to see how the characters end up.
Director Shimada: Please don't miss it until the very end. I think there's a special reward for those who watch it.
