Miyu Yoshimoto played Hana Sakamoto, the beloved only daughter of the main couple, in the film "SAKAMOTO DAYS" (directed by Yuichi Fukuda), starring Ren Meguro of the popular group "Snow Man." She made her acting debut in the 2023 TV drama series "18/40 ~Futari Nara Koi mo Yume mo~" (TBS) and is a child actress who is currently appearing in the Fuji TV Getsuku drama "Saba-kan, Uchuu e Iku" (Canned Mackerel Goes to Space). She is currently 10 years old and the youngest talent at her agency, "Horipro." We spoke with Yoshimoto.
◇Taking a walk with "Dad"Ren Meguro during the filming of "SAKAMOTO DAYS"
The film is based on the manga by Yuto Suzuki, which has been serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump" since November 2020. It is a solid action story about Taro Sakamoto (Meguro), a former legendary hitman who runs a shop after retiring, and who fights against assassins who are closing in on him, together with his companions, in order to protect the peaceful everyday life he has with his beloved family.
Aya Ueto plays Sakamoto's wife (Hana's mother), Aoi, Fumiya Takahashi plays Sakamoto's partner, Shin Fumiya Takahashi, and Mayu Yokota plays Lu Shaotang, who works at "Sakamoto Shoten," the shop run by Sakamoto.
Yoshimoto, who plays the role of Hana, was born on January 11, 2016, and is a 10-year-old from Kanagawa Prefecture. She also showed off her adorable appearance in "SAKAMOTO DAYS".
"Flowers have a calming and gentle image for families, so I think they were able to be a comforting presence for Dad (the main character Sakamoto, played by Meguro) and Shin-kun (Takahashi) when they came home."
In the film, there was a scene where she sat on top of Sakamoto's plump body, but she confessed with a smile, "Dad's body is soft and fluffy like a cushion, and his bewildered expression is cute, so I like Dad better when he's fat." Regarding Meguro, who played Sakamoto, she said, "When Ueto and I were talking about how we wanted to eat crepes, he actually brought us some. We also took walks around the set together."
He also mentioned that when they started filming, Ms. Ueto asked him, "What grade are you in?" and they were able to talk about a lot of things.
"That's when I felt my tension ease, and having Ms. Ueto there brightened up the atmosphere on set, so I'm glad that she's my mom. We also watched dance videos together."
◇When I'm working as a model, "I switch on when the camera is pointed at me."
That's right, Yoshimoto's special skill is dancing. She says she grew up watching music videos of girl groups like TWICE and Girls², and even now she enjoys listening to music by HANA and Chanmina, which are played during her dance lessons.
"I like listening to music with a rhythm, and I also dance quite dynamically, so I feel like I'm really alive."
When asked about her modeling work, Yoshimoto revealed her professionalism by saying, "When a camera is pointed at me, a switch flips inside me."
"With this outfit, I think about what kind of posing would be best, because it changes depending on whether it's a girly style or a sporty style, so I pay attention to my posing, and I think there's a different kind of fun in thinking about how to smile and express myself with my face compared to acting."
She also has a laid-back side, and when she starts reading her favorite book, she often becomes so engrossed in the story that she doesn't hear anything around her.
Yoshimoto, with a cheerful voice, said, "I want to become an actor who can make everyone smile."
"I'd love to play a student in a school setting, a lively and energetic character, and I hope to try action roles someday."
