Ikoma Rina reveals how she approaches her work, saying that she never slacks off because “This is not the norm.” “I’m sure everyone else is the same”
Othello is the latest work by the master of “Japanese horror” Suzuki Koji, who also created the Ring and Sadako series. Set in a small theatre troupe in Osaka, it is a horror suspense story depicting the bizarre phenomena that attack the rehearsing troupe members one after another and the intricate human drama.
The TV Web interviewed Ikoma, who takes on the dual roles of Mai Yamaguchi, a leading actress in a cursed small theatre troupe, and her older sister Mariko, who died a tragic death in the midst of her ambitions, and asked her about her thoughts on the drama, episodes on set and experiences she gained during her time as a Nogizaka46.
An opportunity to take a responsibility
— This will be your first main role in a drama series, how did you feel when you were chosen to star in the series?
For me, I’m not the type to think, “I’m so happy to have a main role for the first time!” but I felt that “I’m really grateful that such an opportunity had come my way.” Since I will appear in this work, I thought that I had to take on the position as the actor (of the main role) properly/firmly so that other co-stars would also feel that we are doing a good job on this drama.
In terms of acting techniques, I am still learning, so when I watch late-night dramas at home, I am now more aware of how they speak, what kind of gestures they show, and such. When I go on set, I pay closer attention to how the more senior actors are performing and how they approach their roles.
Being assigned the main role of this drama gives me something to feed off and gives me power. If I had been in any other position, I would end up saying that “I am not good at this yet”, but I am able to take part in this project while learning, “How am I doing in this work?”. I am grateful for the opportunity to have such a sense of responsibility.
Since a long time ago, I have always been bad with haunted house
— What is your impression upon reading the script?
This time, horror is not the main focus. My impression is that it focuses more on the friendships between the theatre troupe members, a little bit of romance, relationships between family members and sisters, and the feelings and jealousies in everyday life that we all experience, where all these feelings are portrayed in depth.
— What kind of person is Yamaguchi Mai, who you portrayed this time?
She has a sense of responsibility to pursue and fulfill her late sister’s dream, and I get the impression that she is a child who genuinely wants to perform and is working hard toward her dream.
— Are there any similarities between her and yourself?
I’m the kind of person who will solve the problem by myself when I am troubled, but when Mai-chan is troubled, she tends to fail to take action, so I want to tell her, “Don’t be like that, go ahead!”, I want to encourage her instead. So, we are not very similar.
— Since this is Suzuki Koji-san original work, is there anything that you are conscious of?
Overall, the lighting in this film is dark. There are no bright spots, so the whole atmosphere is naturally dark and gloomy. Even when I read a book, even though it should be a bright scene, they are somehow tinged with melancholy, and the director has already created the atmosphere for me, so I try to play the role honestly.
— Are you originally good with the horror genre?
I’m so bad at it that I turn off the TV the moment a CM for a scary program comes on. Isn’t it scary when you are at home alone? When it’s my own work, I’m totally fine with how grotesque things are, but I can’t watch other people’s work, even if I know how it works behind the scene. That’s why I have always been very bad at haunted houses (laugh).
— Then, do you also don’t see much of your work?
I have memories of my own work, so I look at the product as a way of checking, but other works scare me, no matter how much I know about behind the scene (laugh).
— Have you felt fear in your daily life recently?
Since we are shooting from morning until night, someone who is still energetic is probably a horror for me (laugh). But what’s even scarier is that we, as performers have time to rest, but the staffs are working all the time, which I think is really amazing, and the staff’s stamina is the most horrifying thing, in a good way (laughs).
“Group stuff” always makes us excited
— What are your impressions of your co-stars?
Suga Kenta-san is a big senior, so I was very nervous at first, but he is a really frank person. He is only one year older than me, but I really respect him for leading the whole process and assisting me in the areas I’m lacking.
Murase Sae-san is a very cute and bright person. Since she debuted a bit earlier than me as a member of NMB48, she is my senior when it comes to group, and I’m an older sister when it comes to age, so we talk about “group stuff”, which made us gradually become closer.
Kubozuka Airu-kun is a “style monster”. He’s very tall and very cool, but since he’s still 18 years old, everyone loves him and calls him “young master” (bocchan)or “baby” (akachan). He is very motivated, and his motivation pushes his older sisters to work hard.
Also, when he sat on the sofa, his legs were too long, his thighs were floating, and there was a space underneath, and I was like, “Are you Sanji!” (laugh). He is a kind boy with who we can form a relationship where he can go along with that kind of teasing.
Oda Risa-chan, there is a scene where we performed the same dance as rivals. Risa-chan has been doing classical ballet for a long time, and I started dancing because of jazz, so the two of us discussed how it would be nice if we could do this kind of movement. We met during the choreography rehearsal before the filming, so we got to know each other before the other co-stars.
When she’s in her role, she looks really scary, but off the stage, she’s a very happy girl, so she makes everyone at the site feel at ease. She also has a very beautiful face, which I admire every time I see her.
Hashimoto Jun-san is a big senior among the cast members, and when it comes to this work, he will check the script and ask questions such as “we should convey our emotion like this in this part, right?”. He checks the scripts and brings the whole thing together. It’s very interesting to watch how it plays out.
Personally, I am happy to be able to co-star with Hashimoto-san, who was in ‘Kamen Rider Revice’, which I watch as a viewer. In ‘Kamen Rider’, he played a very bad enemy, which was very good, but his role in ‘Othello’ is also very nice.
— What are some of the most memorable performances or scenes that you would like people to pay attention to?
My personal favourite is Takemura (Murase) and Arisaka (Kubozuka); they are a very cute couple. They make me feel at ease when acting, and I think they are the “warm and fuzzy” part of the drama, making me think, “Ah, they’re so cute together”.
Experience from my time in Nogizaka46 gives me strength
— How do you think your experiences as an idol have helped you in your acting career today?
It’s not really about my acting career, but rather how I spend my time. When I was a member of Nogizaka46, there were years when I didn’t have much time off, so I know how to give myself a break when I am really busy.
I think that experience while I was young has helped me a lot now that I’m an adult. It’s good to have experienced that ‘it’s okay to be busy’.
– A lot of Nogizaka46 graduates are also active as actresses. Is there anything you are aware of?
I think it’s amazing that they appear in so many different works. I don’t really consciously look at their works, but I enjoy imagining ‘what kind of work’ and ‘what kind of role’ I could play if we were able to work together.
— What do you think are the reasons why so many graduates of Nogizaka46, including yourself, are so successful?
Because I think that everyone else thought “This is not the norm”. I think that because this kind of environment is not the norm, people work very hard and don’t slack off on their effort. I myself think that way, and I’m sure everyone else does too.
— What kind of actress do you aspire to be, and what are your goals for the future?
I would be happy if I could be an actress who leaves an interesting and lasting impression on every work, and even if people don’t think “I like this part of her”, I would like to be an actress who can create a moment that the viewer can enjoy when watching my work.
Refresh yourself with morning and night yoga sessions
— How do you refresh yourself during the filming period?
I do yoga in the morning and night. I watch Takewaki Marina-san YouTube videos, and when she says, “Let’s do our best today” or “Let’s reward our tired self”, I will answer with “Yes~!” (laugh).
That voice makes me think, “Yes, I did my best today,” and when Marina-san says, “See you later”, it makes me want to do my best.
I really want to go and learn, but it’s not easy because I also do kickboxing, so in those cases, I do something easy on YouTube. Even just lying down and taking deep breaths can make a difference, so now I’m thinking, “Thank you, Marina Takewaki-san!” (laugh).
— Finally, do you have a message for the viewers?
It’s a hot season, but I think the horror elements will give you a chill, and the work has a nice combination of cool and fun. The cast’s close friendship can be seen on the screen, and I think it will be a lot of fun to see the theatrical troupe’s lively atmosphere, so I would be happy if you could project yourself onto us in the drama as you watch.
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