Hayashi Kento: It's important to understand and embody the hidden parts that lie deep within the script.

Kento Hayashi　(Hayashi Kento)

Born in Shiga Prefecture in 1990. Made his acting debut in the 2007 film "Battery." Won the Newcomer of the Year award at the 31st Japan Academy Awards.
This year, he has appeared in the drama "Aishii Uso ~Gentle Darkness~" (TV Asahi) and the stage production "Death of a Salesman" (PARCO).
They will co-star in Nippon Television's new Saturday drama "First Love Devil."

◆Please tell us what the highlights of "First Love's Devil" are.
One of the charms of this drama is that it is an original work written by Sakamoto Yuji, with no original source material. The characters are so unique that I wonder if they will all be portrayed, and I hope you will pay attention to the personalities of each individual character. I hope you will enjoy watching how they interact with each other and how the story unfolds. I am truly happy to be able to take part in this drama, and I am confident that it will be an extremely entertaining production.

◆Please tell us about the appeal of being an actor.
I was born and raised in Shiga Prefecture, and started this job after being scouted during a school trip to Tokyo in my third year of junior high school. At first, I was shy about acting in front of people, but I began to find it rewarding to work with so many different people through my work. When creating a character, I find it important to think deeply about the character's background, even down to the smallest details, even if it's not written in the script, while facing the role. I really enjoy acting, and I feel very happy to be able to create a work together with everyone and to be a part of it. I also think the appeal of acting is that it has the potential to move people's hearts and make others enjoy watching it. I've never found the job difficult, but I still don't like being in front of people. But the work is really fun!

◆Please give us a message for university students
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world, but it's especially important to accept yourself and not push yourself too hard during these difficult times. There may be times when you worry, but instead of trying to fit in with others, find what you love and move forward.

■After the interview
Listening to Hayashi-san's story, I felt that he takes his roles seriously and approaches them from various perspectives. I was impressed that he doesn't just act, but also thinks carefully about what is behind the work. I think I learned the importance of grasping the essence.

Maria Okabe, second-year student at Kunitachi College of Music

初恋の悪魔
New Saturday drama on Nippon TV in July, starting July 16th (every Saturday at 10pm)
Starring Kento Hayashi and Taiga Nakano
Screenwriter Sakamoto Yuji has created a stylish and twisted mysterious comedy.