Yu Aoi stars in the TBS drama series "Until My T-Shirt Drys" (Fridays at 10 PM). She plays Sakiko, a woman who was enjoying a happy married life with her husband, Mitsuru Seo (Kenichi Matsuyama), but whose life is turned upside down when he goes missing in a bus accident. We asked Aoi about her impressions of the script written by Miku Ubukata and behind-the-scenes stories from the filming.
◇"A way of delivering lines that seems quiet but requires an enormous amount of energy."
The drama is an original story by Ubukata, known for hit dramas such as "silent" (Fuji TV), and this is his first time writing for a TBS drama. It depicts the "love" and "secrets" of two couples who are involved in a certain accident.
--Please tell us your impressions after reading the script.
For the first few episodes, I was like, "What is this?", but when I started to understand what Ubukata-san wanted to say and the theme of this work, I thought, "Wow, I've been had!"
While there are many lines that are very light and funny, I felt it was important to cherish the emotions beneath the words, what lies at the "tip" of Ms. Ubukata's pen. It seems like natural conversation, but it's not. I feel like I've been given a really difficult assignment. I'm doing my best not to be overwhelmed by the way Ms. Ubukata portrays dialogue, which seems quiet but requires tremendous energy.
--What kind of person is Sakiko?
She's a very cheerful person who can get along with almost anyone. So on the surface, she seems to be well-adjusted to society, but there's a part of her that's a bit lacking, if you will. She might laugh it off in a difficult situation, or pretend to be happy when she's not. I see her as not being a particularly strong woman, the kind of person many people can probably relate to.
--Please tell us what you felt while filming and what you were conscious of when acting.
It's challenging, but incredibly fun. Because it's a work that depicts human relationships, as an actor, I get the impression that "I could do this forever." I even think, "I wish the time we spend going back and forth like this and that would just go on forever" (laughs).
I've been discussing things in detail with director Hiroyasu Doi. In this film, none of the characters are perfect. Of course, there are hardly any perfect people, but these characters have a lot of flaws (laughs). I'm conscious of finding points that won't make the viewers uncomfortable.
Ubukata-san's scripts can be interpreted in many ways. They offer a high degree of freedom. Even with a single word, there are countless ways to convey different nuances. The impression changes completely depending on whether or not particles like "te" and "o" are included. I often discuss with the director how to strike that balance.
I sometimes talk not only about the lines, but also about the content of the emails that Sakiko sends. Nakajima (Ayumu), who plays Itsuki, is someone who talks a lot with the director and others on set, so I'm creating the character of Sakiko by listening to what he says.
◇ Ayumu Nakajima is "a type of actor I've never met before." What about Kenichi Matsuyama?
--Could you also tell us about your impressions of your co-stars?
Mr. Nakajima is a type of actor I've never met before. He speaks very frankly about everything, so I'm always pleasantly surprised on set. He talks to himself quite a lot, and my character also talks to herself a lot, so I'm using it as a reference, thinking, "Oh, so that's how people talk to themselves" (laughs). During rehearsals, Mr. Nakajima often sets the flow, so I'm learning a lot from him there as well. He's a very interesting person.
--What are your thoughts on Kenichi Matsuyama, who plays Sakiko's husband, Mitsuru?
I've worked with Matsuyama-san many times, so it feels like we're childhood friends, and I just zone out next to him (laughs). This is the first time we've worked together as a married couple, but I think we're able to act without being overly cautious in a good way. It's fun to be able to talk about the work with a similar sense of closeness.
--Could you also share your impressions of Fumiya Takahashi, who plays Naoto, an employee at the coffee shop owned by Mitsuru, and Kaho, who plays Azusa, Itsuki's wife?
Takahashi is a truly reliable person. I often wonder, "What kind of parents raised her to be such a responsible child?" (laughs). Her acting is clear, and I think everyone relies on her. She's intelligent and seems to see things from a broad perspective.
Although I did co-star with Kaho-chan in a commercial a long time ago, we've never actually worked together on a project. But for some reason, I've always felt like we were close. When we were filming the commercial, we were both incredibly shy and could barely talk, just exchanging small smiles, but now we've both overcome our shyness (laughs).
She's reliable, has a great sense of humor, and I really like her. Being around her makes me feel relaxed and cheerful. I'm always happy when Kaho-chan appears, and I think she's a truly wonderful actress.
--What is the atmosphere like on set?
I get inspiration from Nakajima-san every day, and I just zone out next to Matsuyama-san (laughs). Everyone on set is really interesting. There are so many different types of people, it's never boring. I feel a constant sense of excitement.
That's true both in the play and when I'm on set, but I always have this feeling of "what interesting things will happen today?", so I want to enjoy it to the fullest until the very end.
--Finally, could you tell us again about the appeal of this work and what to look forward to in the future?
This work challenges the very foundations of how we build relationships with others and how we judge people, prompting questions like, "What would I do in this situation?" and "How have I judged people in the past?" You'll encounter situations where you might forgive yourself for doing something, but become suspicious if someone else does the same thing. I hope you enjoy watching the imperfect characters and realizing just how strange people can be.
