Hiroshi Tachi on Acting: “I’m not a good actor, but an actor should be someone who leaves a lasting impression on people’s hearts.”
Why is he always dandy and smart? In his latest movie "Golden Kamuy," he passionately plays the role of Hijikata Toshizo, a member of the Shinsengumi! In his 48th year in show business, he has reached a state of maturity.
“Hijikata Toshizo is someone I have wanted to play for a long time. Hijikata, who was the deputy chief of the Shinsengumi, has the aesthetics of a number two. I myself spent a long time as the number two under Tetsuya Watari (78 years old), so I can relate to his way of life.”
Tachi Hiroshi, 73, now in his 48th year as an actor, plays the role of Hijikata Toshizo, a samurai in the final days of the Tokugawa Shogunate, in the film “Golden Comey,” which will be released on January 19, 2024. The film, a live-action adaptation of a popular comic book, is set in Hokkaido at the end of the Meiji period. As a battle unfolds over the Ainu people’s vast reserves of gold, Hijikata, who has actually survived the Boshin War, joins in the struggle.
“The person at the top needs to have the ability to drink from the same cup of water. The number two person is the one who organizes the organization to realize the future envisioned by the leader, and Hijikata tried to fulfill his mission with conviction. Hijikata, who I play, is over 70 years old, but he is risking his life to rebuild the Ezo Republic, which was once established by the Shogunate’s army. The movie is fiction, but if he had really survived, I think he would have continued to fight all his life. I am fascinated by the way he lived his life.”
Tachi has always respected Tetsuya Wataru, who led Ishihara Promotions after the death of Yujiro Ishihara (52 years old), calling him his “yakata” (mansion). He first met Wataru when he was 29 years old at a coffee shop in Tokyo to appear in the TV drama “Seibu Keisatsu” (Seibu Police), which had been broadcast since 1979.
“Mr. Wataru was there first, and when he saw me enter the store, he stood up and shook my hand, saying, ‘You must be Tachi-kun, I’m Wataru.’ That was very shocking to me, as there were many big-name actors who were so pompous. I had appeared in several films before, but I had never studied the basics of acting.”
“So for a long time, I never had confidence in my acting. But as if he could see right through me, Mr. Wataru suddenly praised me during the filming of the drama, saying, “Hiroshi, you have a lot of flair.” Those words gave me direction as an actor, even though I had been struggling with doubts. Meeting Mr. Watari is the biggest event in my life.”
