The Tuesday drama "Toki Sude ni Osushi!?" (TBS, Tuesdays at 10 PM), starring Hiromi Nagasaku, will premiere on April 7th. Attracting attention as it marks the first appearance in a television drama series for freelance announcer Yumiko Udo. She will play Izumi Isoda, the best friend of the protagonist, Minato Machiyama (Nagasaku), and this will also be her first serious acting role. We spoke to Yuka Matsumoto, who is in charge of programming production for this series, and producer Chiaki Masuda, about the reasons for casting Udo and her performance on set.
◇ "I thought Udo-san was a perfect fit for the role of Izumi."
The drama is an original work written by Ruri Hyodo, who has worked on "My Diary" and "My Worst Friend." The story follows Minato, who, having finished raising her children, is bewildered by the newfound free time she has at the age of 50, as she begins her second life and jumps into a "Sushi Academy" where she can become a sushi chef in three months.
In April 2018, Ms. Udo transitioned from being an NHK announcer to a freelancer. While she has experience appearing in video productions as a news Caster and narrator, this is her first time doing serious acting and appearing in a TV drama series. Regarding her role in the drama, she said, "I thought that playing the role of Hiromi Nagasaku's best friend was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so I decided to take the plunge, thinking, 'I don't care if I make a fool of myself or what people say!'"
Izumi, played by Udo, is Minato's high school classmate. Hearing that her favorite Hollywood actor is a "sushi lover," she invites Minato to the "Sushi Academy." Unlike the sensible Minato, she is the type of character who comes up with outlandish ideas and acts on them impulsively, and she works as a Pilates instructor.
"Izumi is a cheerful and easygoing woman who unintentionally involves people in all sorts of things. She's always someone who brings fun and surprises, so I thought she would be a perfect match for Udo," said Matsumoto.
On the network's variety show "Sakurai & Ariyoshi THE Night Show," after seeing Udo and Yoshihiko Inohara drinking alcohol as part of a segment, they felt that she could naturally express "things that are common for women in their 50s." They offered her the role, saying, "We knew she had never acted before, but we thought that if Ms. Udo spoke in her usual manner, it would create a scene with a good sense of realism."
◇Pay attention to Yumiko Udo's natural acting.
Before filming began, Udo asked, "How do you memorize a script?" Matsumoto and the other production staff said that although they had worked with screenwriters to create scripts, they had never memorized one, so they asked Nagasaku and the other co-stars to ask.
"I told Udo things like, 'That actor memorizes things this way,' and I even made a kind of shooting manual for her. Udo is a very serious and studious person," is what Matsumoto said about Udo on set.
Masuda recalls, "I had imagined that Udo-san would be very enthusiastic and say something like 'Yay!', but she approached it with genuine sincerity."
Even while eating lunch in the cafeteria, Udo was engrossed in reading the script. Masuda said, "She always comes around with an air of 'I'm sorry for bothering you,' but I think her natural acting and banter are really entertaining, so I hope you'll look forward to it."
Udo commented, "I'm surprised by the meticulous filming and the accumulation of acting, which is different from live broadcasts." Fans are looking forward to seeing what kind of Udo they will see on the air.
