Saki Aibu: “Aya Ueto’s presence” has inspired her in her career of over 20 years, and the “wall of leading roles” she has run into

Starring in a drama series for the first time in 10 years

Compared to when I started performing at the age of 16, the amount of knowledge I have increased, but my attitude toward acting has not changed at all.

Actor Saki Aibu (40) smiled with dimples, her charm point.’ In 2003, at the age of 18, he made his acting debut in the drama “WATER BOYS” (Fuji TV), in which he played a competitive artistic swimmer. This April, more than 20 years later, she played the lead role in the drama series “Husband, Will You Please Die” (TV Tokyo) for the first time in about 10 years.

Now a mother of two, her acting has taken on a new depth, but she looks back on her family’s tremendous support behind her decision to take on the challenge.

I always had the feeling in my heart that I wanted to do a drama series,” she said. When I read the script and told my family how I felt, my husband checked the children’s schedules and said, “If you can work it out, we can make it work,” and they gave me a push. He gave me a push and said, “If you can work it out, we can make it work. During the three months of filming, my husband took full responsibility for the children, so I was able to immerse myself in the role.

She says that this period not only helped her grow, but also her children.

The children, who used to say ‘mama, mama,’ but were spoiled, started to do more things by themselves and to express their opinions,” she says. It was a bit of a surprise, but I think it turned out well for the family.”

Aya Ueto, a great inspiration

Aya Ueto has had a career spanning more than 20 years. Aibu’s career has spanned more than 20 years, and the drama “Attention Please” (Fuji TV), which aired in 2006, was a turning point for Aibu, who continues to add color to numerous productions. While playing the role of an aspiring cabin attendant, he was most inspired by the lead actress, Aya Ueto (39).

Aya has never changed at all!　She must be busy with an overbooked schedule, but she is always calm and enjoys acting. Seeing her up close and personal, I was always inspired by the fact that there really are amazing people out there (……). He was above the rest of his generation, and I aspired to be an actor like him.

The drama was a big hit, and he himself was selected to appear on a JAL billboard. However, his admiration turned to pressure.

I had to play the leading role next time,” he said. But I also hit a wall in the lead role, saying that I couldn’t do such a big job.

This anguish overlapped with her busy life up to her mid-twenties.

I really don’t remember anything from my debut until I was about 21 or 22 years old. In those days, I would go to work as early as 5 a.m. and often return home in the middle of the night. I would go home just to take a shower, and then go straight to the next job site. I think I had a lot of energy (laughs). But thanks to the fact that I was exposed to the rough and tumble of the industry without any knowledge or experience, I am now strong in the belief that I will never have to go through any more hardships than I did back then.

As she talks nostalgically, her expression reflects the “resilience” of having overcome the stormy seas.

In the August 21 issue of “FRIDAY September 5” and the paid version of “FRIDAY GOLD,” she talks about the behind-the-scenes story of the filming of the classic “Buzzer Beat” and the background of her study abroad in the United States.

For more details and multiple photos, click here.

From the September 5, 2025 issue of FRIDAY