Yamamoto Naohiro: In acting, pain and joy are two sides of the same coin. That's why acting is so fun!

■ Profile

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Born in Tokyo on August 29, 1994. After working as an exclusive model for "men's non-no," he made his acting debut. Recently, he has appeared in the dramas "Wasteful Days of High School Girls" (TV Asahi) and "The Goddess of the Queue: Ramen Saiyuki" (TV Tokyo). He is also active in a wide range of other fields, including stage productions and recitation plays. He will also appear in the fourth episode of the drama "Red Eyes: Surveillance Investigation Team" (NTV), which will air on Saturday, February 13th at 10pm, and is scheduled to appear in the drama "Ochanigosu" (TV Tokyo), which will begin streaming on Friday, March 5th.

Yamamoto Naohiro is a young actor who is gaining attention for his wide range of work, from stage plays to television dramas. In his YouTube videos, he shows himself cooking, and many fans are fascinated by his skillful cooking skills. He takes his time to think carefully about his roles, and ponders over them. Where does his passion for acting come from? We spoke to him about how he first encountered the world of acting as a student, right up to the present.

■One day, my best friend from high school came wearing a bolo tie! It was so cool!

I spent my time studying all through junior high and high school, but I didn't dislike studying, so I enjoyed it. But one day, my best friend made a big impact on me. Although we had a uniform, our high school was casual and we could wear whatever we wanted, but my best friend suddenly showed up wearing a bolo tie. When I saw it, I thought, "That's cool!" He also loved movies. His favorite films were those of director Akira Kurosawa, and he was knowledgeable about other, more obscure films. I'd only seen well-known works, but that was something I admired (laughs). From that point on, I became increasingly fascinated with cultures I had never known before, such as vintage clothing, movies, and music.

■He decided not to look for a job and to pursue a career as an actor.

I went on to Waseda University and was also inspired by another of my best friends. He would come to school in a kimono and round glasses. I thought he was a strange guy, but I admired him. But then he stopped coming to school so often. I heard he was attending acting school. Once again, I thought, "Cool!" (laughs). Around the same time, I was working as a model and I loved expressing myself, so that's when I started to become interested in acting as a career.
Then I participated in a short-term workshop, and I encountered another new sensation. The role I played for the first time was that of a drunkard, which was very different from the way models express themselves, just to make their clothes look good, so I felt very embarrassed. But I also discovered the fun of portraying someone different from myself, and new emotions I had never encountered before, and the reactions of those around me were interesting.

Then, in my fourth year of university, I attended a long-term workshop on creating plays. It was there that I performed a play in front of an audience for the first time. I felt the excitement of the stage and was completely captivated by the performance. The moment the lights in the auditorium were turned off and the theater went dark, the atmosphere in the theater was filled with excitement, wondering what was going to happen next, and when the play began, the audience watched and reacted to my every move. This was the trigger that made me fall in love with acting, and I decided to enter the world of acting.

■Being an actor feels like walking through pitch black with your eyes closed.

A play cannot be completed by one person alone, but it also takes a long time to prepare alone. And there is no correct answer. There is no such thing as doing this much and being okay. Even if you think and think and prepare to the best of your ability, the situation can change, and new moments can emerge during the dialogue. Many things happen that are different from what you imagined, and more often than not you feel like you haven't done it. Sometimes I can't sleep because I think too much.

During a rehearsal for a play, there was one scene that I had thought up and performed in my own way, but the director, who usually leaves it up to the actors and doesn't say anything, said, "That's not quite right," and the next day the scene was gone. It's different from being cut from a drama; as rehearsals continued, I had to realize, "That scene is gone," and I felt that pain. It felt like walking through pitch blackness with my eyes even more closed.

But once every few times, I get to witness a moment when my acting just clicks so perfectly that it makes me excited. It might be something I've prepared, or the other person's response might resonate and something different from what I imagined might come out. I still haven't had many experiences where I've experienced that feeling, but it remains a strong memory. I really can't forget that feeling. It gives me strength, and even when things don't go well or it's tough, I want to overcome it and experience it again.

I received a standing ovation and five curtain calls on stage, and at that time I felt really glad that I did it. I was also very happy that the audience enjoyed it.

■After reading the original novel, I got the role I wanted to play through an audition!

In the drama "Ochanigosu," I play the rival of the main character, Kashiwazawa Mitsuteru. He's a rich, perfectly cool guy, but when someone notices that he has a thick beard, he becomes a disappointing man in that respect (laughs). It was the most comedic character I've ever played. The original story was really interesting, and I wanted to play this role, so when I passed the audition and got the role, I was like, "Yes!" I thought about how I could convey this interesting character in live action.

The humorous elements pop up when you're working seriously. Just like when you're having a casual conversation and suddenly start talking seriously, the people around you can't help but laugh. Don't make funny things funny. With that feeling, even though this manga is a comedy, I acted without thinking of it as a comedy. I acted as "seriously" as I could, so I hope you'll watch it.

■ I want to jump into anything that I find interesting

I love Shakespeare, so I would like to play a role in "Richard III" someday. I feel that Shakespeare's plays are more interesting when actors speak and act, so I would like to be a part of that.

I believe that I am where I am today because of each and every encounter I have had. That's why I want to jump into any interesting thing I come across at the time. I want to improve my skills so that I can become someone who can convey the fun and appeal of theater.

■Message

Even if you don't have any goals or things you want to do right now, don't rush. I believe that there will come a time when you will suddenly come across something interesting. That's why I think it's important not to miss out on anything that catches your eye or that draws you in. If my best friend hadn't been wearing a bolo tie at the time, I might not have tried modeling or acting. There were times when I felt lonely as I pursued a career as an actor, but I was confident that "this is what I enjoy." Believe that what you find "fun" will one day become something important, and enjoy your time at university!

Student Newspaper WEB January 20, 2021 Interview by Aki Kawanami, 3rd year student at Tsuda University

"From Today, It's My Turn!!" Original work by Nishimori Hiroyuki - Delinquents x Tea Ceremony Club!? The unique Yankee comedy manga "Ochanigosu" is being made into a live-action drama!
It will be broadcast on TV Tokyo in 2021! All 12 episodes will be available on Amazon Prime Video from Friday, March 5th!

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