Anne Nakamura’s Secret to Survival in Showbiz? Just Step Back!

Finding Herself Relating Through the Role

“I really can’t stand being interfered with, whether at work or in private (laughs).”

So says actress Anne Nakamura (37). Given her bright and friendly personality, hearing her say this might come as a bit of a surprise.

“I get tired if people fuss over me too much. If the exchanges are like, ‘Are you okay?’ or ‘What do you think?’ one after another, I start to feel worn out.”

The woman she’s currently facing in her work is someone completely different from herself. The July-start drama “Good Evening, the Asayama Family” (TV Asahi) is a home drama about the struggles of a family led by Nakamura as the hot-tempered wife and Yukiyoshi Ozawa (51) as the hapless husband. Nakamura plays Asayama Asako, the sharp-witted CEO of the company her screenwriter husband belongs to.

“Asako is the kind of woman who would even establish her own company to support her husband Kenta’s film director debut. She’s full of drive, tough, and someone I really admire. But if I think about whether I personally have that much power, I’m probably a little more reserved (laughs).”

In high school, she was captain of the cheerleading team and strongly felt “I have to be the one to speak up.” But now, she reflects, she has grown more inclined to take a step back.

“On set, I start by accepting everything. Sometimes I think, ‘Ah, I see, so that’s the way they’re going with it,’ and take a step back. Even if I have doubts about the director’s instructions or the way a line should be delivered, I try it out first. If I still feel it’s wrong, then I speak up.”

As she engaged with Asako, she naturally found herself drawn to her straightforwardness and even resonated with her.

“At first, I thought Asako was a completely different type from me. But while playing her, I began to have more and more moments of ‘Huh? I kind of get this.’ I have a younger brother and sister, so I often ended up in the role of supporter, and I could really relate to Asako’s pure love for her family. That feeling of frustration when you can’t find the right words or when you feel like you’re not being understood—oh, I definitely feel that too. In my case, I just give up on trying to express it though (laughs).”

A role she thought was unlike herself at first, gradually overlaps with her in unexpected ways. This growing sense of empathy may be the result of subtle changes in her own heart.

“Until recently, I wasn’t interested in marriage at all. I liked being on my own, and I was more focused on wanting to see my work through properly first. I vaguely thought marriage might come after that. But in the past couple of years, I’ve started thinking maybe it’s important to be strong on your own, but it might also be nice to leave a little space for sharing with someone.”

This year marks 10 years since Nakamura fully embarked on her acting career. She has steadily built her career as a popular actress.

In the August 7th issue of FRIDAY (Aug 22–29 combined edition) and the paid edition FRIDAY GOLD, she candidly talks about the changes she’s felt at 35, her views on love, and more.

For the full story and additional photos, check here ↓

From the August 22/29, 2025, issue of “FRIDAY”