Masami Nagasawa: There is no right answer when it comes to acting. But it's important to put in effort and take it seriously.

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Masami Nagasawa
Originally from Shizuoka Prefecture, she was born in 1987. In 2000, she won the grand prize at the 5th Toho Cinderella Audition at the age of 12, the youngest ever winner. She made her film debut in the same year in Crossfire. Her notable works include Robocon, Crying Out Love in the Center of the World, Nada Sou Sou, and Last Friends, and she has won numerous awards, including the Japan Academy Prize for Best Supporting Actress and Topic Award. In addition to films, she is active in a wide range of fields, including dramas, commercials, and voice acting. She is currently appearing in the NHK Taiga drama Tenchijin, and her lead role in the film Bend! Spoon will be released on November 21st.

Cheerful and energetic. Always radiant with a smile - that's the image I have of Nagasawa Masami. However, when I actually met her, my impression of her completely changed. Despite being young, she has already had a 10-year career as an actress, and she is truly a "workaholic." We were able to feel her hidden passion for her career as an actor, and this interview was very inspiring for us, both as people of her generation and as a person.

The people I acted with are role models and idols

Masami Nagasawa won the grand prize at the 5th Toho Cinderella Awards in 2000, becoming the youngest winner in history at the age of 12. However, she didn't initially want to become an actor.
"I loved looking at fashion magazines and dreamed of becoming a model. At the time, the audition I took was run by an agency that mainly focused on acting, and if I passed, I would be given the privilege of appearing in a film. I appeared in my first film out of curiosity, and I thought it was fun and that once I started, I couldn't give up halfway, so I decided to continue."
Nagasawa was drawn to the profession after trying it once. Was the job of acting appealing to him? When asked about the appeal of acting...
"The appeal of being an actor is that you get to experience things that you wouldn't be able to experience otherwise. In acting, you can realize things that you can't do in your everyday life, so you can try out a variety of roles and jobs. That's the appeal of being an actress."
　Her multifaceted talent is no surprise. Through her work as an actor, she is determined to do things that she would never be able to do anywhere else. She also seems to learn a lot from her co-stars as she hone her acting skills.
　"All the actors I've worked with so far, regardless of age, have been role models for me. I have a strong desire to imitate their good points and improve myself, so the people I've worked with are role models and I admire them."

If you don't take action yourself, society won't do anything for you. The more you have to do yourself, the more you will be able to feel it yourself.

Her previous comments show her strong determination to hone her acting skills, and while appearing in numerous productions, she says there is much more to learn outside of acting.
　"I've come to value connections with people. I'm able to act thanks to the support of those around me, and in movies and dramas, many people work together to create a single work. This has taught me the importance of family and friends on a daily basis. Living among adults from a young age makes you mentally stronger. I've become more able to directly sense the kindness and help of those around me that you normally wouldn't see. Society won't do anything for you unless you take action yourself. The more I have to do on my own, the more I'm able to feel on my own."
Nagasawa continues to grow not only as an actor, but also as a person. The film "Bend! Spoon," in which she plays the lead role, will be released on Saturday, November 21st. The situational comedy follows Nagasawa as an assistant director (Yone Sakurai) on a paranormal variety show who travels around the country in search of real espers, whom she meets by chance and whose identities are hidden. Nagasawa also said of the film, "This film is filled with dreams and hope. I hope it inspires children to have dreams, and that adults will also feel the courage and importance of continuing to dream."
　When asked about her future goals, she said, "I've had the opportunity to experience many different things up until now, but I would like to continue being an actress. You repeat the same thing over and over again over a long period of time to create a work, and it's difficult to continue doing that for many years. I would like to continue to take acting seriously so that I can achieve that."

I want them to use their time meaningfully and pursue the things that interest them.

Nagasawa entered the entertainment industry at the age of 12 and has continued to live away from her parents ever since. "I didn't go to university so I longed for campus life. I want students to use their time meaningfully and pursue the things that interest them. I want them to try not to have too much free time and study as many things as possible. I have spent more time taking action than anything else, so from now on I want to devote my time to studying. I want them to spend their time meaningfully and not waste it," she said in her message to students.
Nagasawa remained calm and collected throughout the interview, even showing concern for us. Her imposing demeanor shows her unwavering determination as an actor. She feels more gratitude and responsibility than most, and takes on the endless task of acting seriously. In contrast to her smile, you could sense the strong determination to act hidden in her heart.

From the August 2009 issue of the Student Newspaper