Elaiza Ikeda will be appearing in the drama series "DREAM STAGE" (TBS, Fridays at 10pm) starring Tomoya Nakamura . She plays Endo Suisei, the manager of the boy band "NAZE." We asked Ikeda about her impressions of the "NAZE" members and her thoughts after reading the script.
◇ "It's been a while since I've seen a drama like this."
"DREAM STAGE" is the story of Jun Azuma (played by Nakamura), a former genius music producer who was expelled from the industry for causing trouble, and seven dropout trainees from a small Korean entertainment agency who form a boy band called "NAZE" and work together to pursue their dreams.
-What were your impressions after reading the script for this film?
I felt that the story focused on the feelings of each character. There were many refreshing scenes and developments, and while reading it, I felt like "It's been a while since I've seen a drama like this."
Recently, I have the impression that there are a lot of sadistic and stimulating stories, especially in streaming works, and I sometimes feel like "I guess this kind of thing is popular nowadays." But I really like happy stories, so I was really happy to be able to take part in this kind of work.
-When playing the role of a manager, did you do any preparation, and did you take inspiration from your own manager, who is someone close to you?
I tried to imagine what they were thinking and doing when I couldn't see them. In the end, I decided that the most important thing was to observe everyone in NAZE. I tried to get a sense of what state each of them was in, while keeping a little distance on set and in my free time. I did make some preparations, but I basically approached it with the mindset of "watching over them."
--How was it when you actually started filming?
They maintain their energy all day, from morning to night, and seem to enjoy being on set. They are very polite and sincere, so the more I watch over them, the more I feel like "I want them to be loved by many people." At the same time, I naturally feel positive and think, "Okay, I'll do my best too." Our roles are in a relationship between a talent and a manager, so while we maintain a certain distance, I am also receiving a lot of inspiration from this encounter.
-As filming progressed, did you receive any requests from the producer or director regarding your role, or did you make any suggestions yourself?
Before filming began, I wondered, "Why am I playing Mercury?" I felt like I was a little different from the image people have of me, and I was worried people would say, "There's no way Elaiza Ikeda could play the role of a manager."
So I asked the producer, "Why me?" and he said, "I can see it." I was really happy to hear him say that, but I still couldn't see it myself. I could act, but I was worried about how to turn the viewers' anxiety into trust.
In the end, I changed my thinking to the point that I had no choice but to show the finished product, and I was constantly checking with the director, "Was that (acting) okay?" as we filmed. Everyone was very quick to make decisions, and Director Matsuki (Aya) told me, "It was wonderful." Now, I've gotten quite used to Mercury, and I'm able to communicate with ease as I go along.
◇ Tomoya Nakamura is "truly professional"
-This is your first full-scale co-starring role with Nakamura-san, how was it acting together?
I think he's a true professional. He's precise in his acting, but also knows how to break down the actors, so he shows us both naturalness and technique. Whatever we throw at him, he returns it, so it's fun for us to play with him too.
The atmosphere on set was great, and it felt like he softened and neutralized Azuma's aggressiveness. He has a certain warmth to him, and I trust him 100%, so he's a very reliable presence.
-What is your impression of Ha Yeon-soo, who plays Nam Ha Yoon, the president of an entertainment agency?
He's like a dinosaur (laughs). He's very delicate and cute, but he puts more than 200% of his energy into acting. The moment he starts acting, he uses all the joints in his body to express himself, and both Nakamura and I feel like he's too much for us to handle, which is just like President Nam (laughs).
She is always worried, saying things like, "I'm not normally this energetic," and "I'm more of a 'gloomy person.'" Even though the lines are not in her native language, she is always striving for perfection in her acting, which makes me enjoy being at her mercy.
--As NAZE's manager, what are your impressions of each member?
Kaisei is kind and clumsy. It was impressive to see him show his strength in a crucial moment, when he placed third in the Akasaka 5-Chome Mini Marathon on New Year's Eve All-Star Sports Festival (TBS). I hope there will be more scenes in the series that show his charm.
Yoongi is bright, funny, and very polite. I don't know if he's intentionally doing things to set up plot twists, but watching him act, there are many moments when I look forward to seeing what the role will be like in the future.
Ato is always paying close attention to his surroundings, not just in his roles, but also in our actual group activities. On set, he not only cares about the other members, but also us (laughs). Sometimes you can sense his compassionate gaze, and he's a kind and reliable person. His singing voice is also truly amazing.
At first, Turn was quite shy and nervous about speaking to people in Japanese. But now he laughs at our silly exchanges and boldly ad-libs during performances. I hope that his honesty comes across on screen.
Yuya seems to have a solid plan for his acting, so he's very reliable. He was nervous at first, but now he's become like a bridge between us and NAZE. He was supposed to be in the younger brother position, but now he's interpreting for us about the direction, so he's starting to look like an older brother.
Kim Gon's growth was amazing even just from filming the first episode. I felt he had a talent for acting, but I think he experienced "mutual influence acting" during the actual shoot. I feel like he showed us acting that went beyond what he had practiced. I also like how Gon's good nature comes out unexpectedly.
Dohyuk isn't good at Japanese, but he sometimes laughs as we talk. He also gets teary-eyed many times during the crying scenes, and it seems he's very sensitive, and he seems ready to cry at any time... (laughs). His elusive charm, like that of a kitten, made me think, "This kid is sure to gain a lot of fans."
In the scene in episode 1 where Gon cries, I can't say anything arrogant, but we all shared the same view that "in a crying scene, the way the people around you interact with each other is really important." Since he couldn't be the only one to cry while everyone else was slacking off, I once called out to him, "Why don't you try being a little more considerate of the people around you?" And then, there was a moment when the atmosphere around everyone suddenly changed. Watching it from behind as a manager, it was heartwarming. I'm sure that atmosphere is captured well in the film.
-What was the most memorable thing about filming in Korea?
The Korean actor who played Kim Gon's father gave Gon acting instructions, passionately telling him to "come on" and "be more angry." Director Matsuki also tried many times until he was able to portray Gon as being serious and trembling with anger and sadness.
My role was to stop the father and son from doing this, but I was so moved that I started to cry, so it was quite difficult. Episode 1 was an episode in which Gon really worked hard physically, so I hope you will watch it over and over again.
◇What is Elaiza Ikeda's way of "dealing with dreams"?
--What do you personally consider to be "the most important thing when pursuing your dreams"?
I try not to look up. I think I'm the type of person who feels dreams very close to me. If I want to make a movie, I make the necessary arrangements, and if I want to do music, I prepare to do it. For me, having a dream and starting to prepare are always simultaneous. If I think, "I want to do this!", I immediately think, "So, how can I make it happen?"
If you look up too much, you can't help but shrink back, and your dreams can start to look like monsters. I think the best way to interact with dreams is to keep them at a distance like that of a friend.
-Have you always thought that way?
I think I've always been the type to act before I think. When I find something I want to do, I act first. I create an environment where I can take action.
I actively talk about the dreams I have now, and I "pick up" a lot of people (laughs). When I see someone in the cinematography or lighting department and think, "That's amazing," I immediately say, "Why don't you come join Ikeda's team?" Because I'd rather dream my dream together than dream it alone. I persuade them by saying, "Would you like to dream this dream with me?"
--Please tell us what the highlights of episode 2 are.
Episodes 1 and 2 are moments where Mercury has to persevere. From Mercury's perspective, Episode 2 is very difficult, but I think it's a story that gives you a sense of health and freshness, like new shoots suddenly emerging after winter. If you don't give up and face your dreams honestly, people who will support you will naturally gather around you. This is the kind of story that shows us this, so I think it's a gentle drama that's perfect for anyone who's feeling a little tired on a Friday night.
If you watch episodes 2, 3, 4... until the end, I'm sure you'll grow to love all of them. We're giving our all to make sure that viewers love us as much as we do because we're taking up their time. First of all, I hope you'll watch it.
