Tsuyoshi Kusanagi Relishes Everyday Joys in Rare Shopping Appearance
The autumn drama series in which he stars is currently airing... He is now better known as an actor with a strong acting background.
Actor and everyday life
On an orange-hued evening in mid-November, a luxury sports car roared down a main street. Behind the wheel was Tsuyoshi Kusanagi (51), formerly of SMAP—now more widely recognized as a skilled actor.
After parking his car, Kusanagi headed into a large shopping complex. In just 30 minutes, he returned to his car holding a mountain of spoils in both hands.
“Kusanagi is currently starring in the drama Shūmaku no Rondo — Mou Nidoto, Aenai Anata ni (Fuji TV), playing a professional handling the belongings of the deceased. Following this, sequels to his popular series are coming: the socially themed ‘Boku Series’ and the revenge-driven ‘War Series,’ in which he even takes on villain roles. His versatility as an actor is a key strength. This stems from his challenging period after going independent. While he was absent from terrestrial TV, he took on roles he likely wouldn’t have received during his SMAP days, such as a transgender character in the film Midnight Swan, and delivered remarkable performances. He himself has reflected that it was a turning point,” says a film journalist.
After shopping, the now fully matured Kusanagi drove off to his 2-billion-yen mansion, where he lives with his wife of five years and their beloved dog.
From the December 12, 2025 issue of “FRIDAY”
PHOTO： Keisuke Nishi