Mio Imada looks back on the unexpectedly big-name actor who sent her “a word that marked a turning point.
All of the films in which she has appeared have been big hits! FRIDAY conducted a special interview with the 26-year-old actress, who has now become a "nationally known actress. FRIDAY conducted a special interview with the 26-year-old actress, who has now become a "national actress." The interview reveals some unexpected episodes from the night before her breakthrough.
I want to be natural.” (laughs). (Laughs.) “I want to be there without any pressure, which is something I have been feeling especially recently. That is the most comfortable way to be.
Despite her busy schedule, she chose her words carefully and answered the questions calmly. It is no exaggeration to say that Mio Imada, a 26-year-old actress from Fukuoka, is the most “in-charge” actress in the industry today.
She played the heroine in the movie “My Happy Marriage,” which was released in March and became a big hit with more than 1 million viewers, and she played the heroine in the movie “Tokyo Revengers 2: Bloody Halloween -Fate-,” which was released on April 21, and already has more than 400,000 viewers. In addition, “The Last Man -An Investigator for the Blind-,” a Sunday drama series on TBS, in which she appears as a regular cast member, suddenly achieved the highest rating of 14.7% for a commercial TV drama this year after its first broadcast on April 23 (Sunday).
He has appeared in a succession of high-profile and hit productions. However, no matter what time of the year it is, she always keeps her own pace.
I don’t think it’s good to just eat up every day like I did when I first came to Tokyo,” he said. Compared to when I was selfless, I have gradually become able to look back at myself, and I want to face myself carefully.
It was about seven years ago that I moved to Tokyo, where I became the talk of the town as “the cutest girl in Fukuoka. She says that the words of encouragement she received when her shoulders were tense still live on in her today.
When I first came to Tokyo from Fukuoka many years ago, I was often told by the people at my office that I shouldn’t be so cool. When I am interviewed like this, I want to look good and say nice things. But they told me that was not good. At the time, I honestly thought that was a good idea, but looking back on it recently, I realize that it resonates with me all over again. If you put on airs and graces, you will find it harder and harder to be yourself, and in the end, it is easier to be yourself if you don’t put on airs and graces.
Another unforgettable comment was made by a major actor with whom she co-starred in the drama “Memory” (Fuji TV NEXT/J:COM, 2018).
It was during the crank-up of the film that Kiichi Nakai, who starred in the film, told me, “You only need to score 30 points. It was a message like, “It’s okay as it is. At the time, I was nervous every day and all I wanted to do was make myself look good. But when I realized that there was someone who said it was okay for me to be just as I was, I felt so much more at ease. Looking back on it now, it was a very fitting comment. The timing was right before “Hana-no-chi-Hare” was about to be cranked. It was a turning point for me. I am very grateful to him for his kind words.
Now, when she steps away from her roles, she is surprisingly natural. The many photos posted on her Instagram page, which has more than 4.4 million followers, are filled with her “as is” personality.
(Pointing to a photo of her biting into fried horse mackerels from a location bento) “What? Isn’t this really good? I’m probably embarrassed to take pictures of myself looking good when I’m not working. I always wonder what I should put on my Instagram. So I just post pictures of things I like. That’s why these photos are more like me.
I don’t feel like I have to be this way because it’s on a social networking site, or anything like that.
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Mio Imada, age 26, T157.
Actress from Fukuoka Prefecture. She first gained attention as “the cutest girl in Fukuoka,” and since then has been active in a variety of fields, including TV dramas, commercials, and fashion magazines. She won the Best New Actor Award at the 45th Japan Academy Awards for her role as the heroine in “Tokyo Revengers,” a movie released in 2008. The first part of “Tokyo Revengers 2: Bloody Halloween” will be released on April 21 and the second part on June 30, respectively. He plays the role of Yuki Agatsuma, an analyst with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. His official fan club “Imanomio” is also well received. For the latest information, please visit her Instagram (@imada_mio).
Click here to see a special photo shoot of Mio Imada in the April 20, 2023 issue of FRIDAY!
