Kyoko Fukada: Cherish each and every day, live a fulfilling life, and hope that this will lead to a brighter future.

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Kyoko Fukada
Born in Tokyo in 1982. After winning the Grand Prix at the 21st Horipro Talent Scout Caravan, she embarked on a career in showbiz. She made her debut in the TV drama "FIVE." She is currently active as an actress, singer, and TV personality. She has also won numerous awards, including the Nail Queen and Blue Ribbon Award.

The film "Love Play: Please Fall in Love with Me" begins with the words "Fall in love with me." Kyoko Fukada shines as the lead actress in this film, playing three roles. 14 years have passed since her debut, and it seems she has grown even more as an actress. In "Student Career Newspaper," we asked Fukada some questions from a student's perspective.

A love story that begins with "Fall in love with me"

The film "Love Play: Fall in Love with Me" is a unique love story that begins with the line "Fall in love." Its high-level balance of elements such as fantasy, comedy, and reality gives it the impression of being a truly cinematic film.
Regarding the "forced romance" that popular screenwriter Taniyama Mayumi, played by Fukada, uses in the opening line to the TV station drama production manager, played by Shiina Kippei, Fukada personally said, "No, no (laughs). It's something that happened to these two, but when you use the words 'forced romance,' it feels like you're forcing it on everyone. If you start with those words, it becomes literal, so I think it's a fine word to add later."
However, this "forced love" eventually turns into real love, and the depiction of this process is impressive.
Another highlight of the film is that Kyoko Fukada plays three roles: a popular screenwriter (Mayumi Taniyama), a celebrity author, and a modest housewife. As we watch, we are left with a simple question: "Which role is closest to the real Fukada?" Are there any roles that Fukada has played up until now that are similar to her own personality?
"Whenever I play a role, I try to play the character as it is, rather than looking for similarities, so I don't think it's necessary to have commonalities or empathy."
She's a true professional! One of the charms of this film is that Fukada plays three different characters.

If you had to choose between love and work

In the movies and dramas she usually appears in, Fukada often plays the role of a woman in love. If she had to choose between love and work, which would she choose?
"If I could make a living from it, then it would be love. But if there's no assumption that I could make a living from it, then I would choose work. I think that myself is the most important thing to me, so I envy those who can devote themselves to both work and love. I think that Taniyama-san has managed to strike her own balance by working while also being in love."

Popular screenwriter Taniyama Mayumi is the type of person who transforms love into energy for her work. However, perhaps because she is a popular writer, those around her tolerate Taniyama's selfishness, which wears down her nerves. Regarding Taniyama Mayumi's character, Fukada commented, "When I'm working, my first priority is to avoid snapping at people, yelling, or getting irritated like Taniyama. I think that once you let out your stress, you can't bear it anymore. I also feel that if I can overcome one more hurdle, I can become calmer. In my case, I try to stay as calm as possible, and I want to have a wonderful 30s." She compared this to her own future.

Self-improvement and positive thinking

With an increasing number of women working hard at both work and romance, Fukada says that what she practices to improve herself is "avoid going in a direction that suggests sadness as much as possible." "I try to go in the direction of happy people, in the direction of places that seem like they'd be fun to go to, and make myself smile. I think that if there are only sad and unpleasant things, the corners of your mouth will turn down. I know that smiling all the time will cause wrinkles, but I want to smile every day as much as possible. There are times when you have to face things, but I think it's best to take the initiative and go in the direction of happiness."
　By the way, Fukada's way of recovering when she's feeling down is, "It may not sound good, but the key is to give up on everything from the start. Having no expectations is like being in a state of zero, so you can feel happy about even the smallest things and see everything in a positive light."

Looking back at my student days

To the students, Ms. Fukada is like an older sister, and at the end of the class she gave a message full of inspiration and love.
"Listen carefully to what your mother and father say, and be a good son to them. I also hope that through this film I can give some encouragement to women who work hard and people who are timid about love. This film features a variety of episodes, so I think you will be able to relate to it in some way. Personally, I don't really like setting goals, so I try not to. I hope to cherish each and every day, live fulfilling lives, and connect them to the future." "Fulfilling each day creates the future." These words from the natural Fukada Kyoko resonated deeply with us.

From the August 2010 issue of the Student Newspaper