[Anna Nakagawa’s FRIDAY Report] Naomi Trauden, Whose Acting Career Is Booming: “It’s the Days When I Hit a Wall That Are the Most Fun”

We Hit It Off Right from the Start!

Anna Nakagawa: I first met Ms. Trauden last December. It was for an online debate show where high school students discuss social issues. Since it was a location shoot, we spent practically the whole day together.

Naomi Trauden: It was so much fun, wasn’t it? We chatted nonstop even during breaks. The show focused on immigration issues, and since you’d lived abroad, Anna, and I have German roots, I remember we talked about everything from our personal experiences right from the start—even getting into some pretty deep topics.

Nakagawa: We even went to the same university—same college and same department. I’ve taken the liberty of feeling a sense of kinship with you.

Tra: That makes me happy. Before we met, I thought you might be the cheerful, Latin-style type, but the more we talked, the more I realized you’re actually quite sensitive. I sensed your sensitivity and depth, which is why I think we were able to talk about so many different things right from the start.

Nakagawa: That’s a bit embarrassing (laughs). But when I look at you, Trauden, I’m always impressed—not just by your work as a commentator, but also by how you’ve done so many of those so-called “dream jobs,” like modeling and acting.

Trauden: No, no—I just haven’t settled on one thing yet. I started modeling when I was 13, and in a way, I’ve just gone with the flow. So, this might be a misleading way to put it, but I do have a complex about not having gone through the kind of gritty, hard-fought struggles that others have.

Nakagawa: You say that, but I’m sure you faced your share of hardships along the way.

Tora: Of course, I’ve put in the effort, and there were times when work got tough and I hit a slump.

Take my work as a commentator, for example. When I was a freshman in college, I was young and could innocently say, “This is what I think.” But gradually, I began to see that everyone has their own circumstances and perspectives. Once you realize that, it becomes incredibly difficult to state something definitively on a live broadcast.

Ideally, I’d like to be someone who can imagine as many different perspectives as possible, but I haven’t actually been out in the field hearing people’s real voices. After all, there are far fewer situations in the world where there’s a clear-cut “right answer.”

Nakagawa: But during the on-location shoots I had the pleasure of joining you on, I was really impressed by how you gently listened to the high school students’ unexpected opinions and offered warm comments in response. I could tell you were being considerate of all sorts of things and really using your imagination.

I was moved and blown away by the professional skill

Nakagawa: In the currently airing drama *Crossroad: The Promise of Emergency Medicine*, you play the role of Akari Aoyama, a new nurse. You’ve been taking on more acting roles recently—was this something you actively sought out?

Tora: Yes, it is. A few years ago, I asked my manager and the agency to let me take acting seriously. Until I turned 25, I worked hard to give my all to whatever was asked of me, but after turning 25, I decided to start advocating more for what I wanted to do. So right now, I might be in my “super selfish phase” (laughs).

Nakagawa: I imagine the nature of your work has changed drastically from what you’ve done before. How do you feel about that?

Tora: That’s actually a lot of fun. I really enjoy the preparation involved. With modeling, there was some preparation in terms of maintaining my figure, but above all, it was all about performing on the spot. It was more about focusing during the shoot and creating something together as a team.

Nakagawa: That’s true. Even though we barely had any planning for today’s shoot, your ability to adapt on the fly to the costumes and props really showed your modeling experience. On the other hand, I imagine advance preparation is crucial for acting.

Tora: Memorizing lines is a given, of course, but it takes time to go through the process of truly understanding the work, my character, and the words I’m saying. It’s not just about committing the content to memory—I also need to prepare emotionally. But that’s what makes it fun.

Nakagawa: Do you ever hit a wall?

Tora: Every day on set feels like hitting a wall. I’m surrounded by an amazing cast and crew, and I get to witness so much professional skill. It moves me deeply, but at the same time, it leaves me feeling overwhelmed. It’s that feeling of thinking, “I wish I could reach that level of excellence,” but realizing it’s still so far away.

I feel so frustrated that I even go home and cry my eyes out over my own inadequacy. But the fact that my emotions are shaken to that extent makes me realize just how much I want to do this job.

[Anna Nakagawa’s FRIDAY Report / Part 4, Part 2] Naomi Trauden Reveals “How to Come to Terms with the ‘Self That’s Expected of Me’”

《Naomi Trauden: Born in Kyoto Prefecture to a German father and a Japanese mother, she won the Grand Prix at “Miss Teen Japan” in 2012 and made her debut at age 13 as the youngest exclusive model for the fashion magazine *CanCam*.A graduate of Keio University’s Faculty of Law, Department of Political Science, she appears on news and economic programs and is currently active as an actress. In the currently airing drama *Crossroad: The Promise of Emergency Medicine* (TV Asahi, every Tuesday at 9:00 p.m.), she plays Akari Aoyama, a new nurse.For the latest updates, follow her on Instagram (@naomi_trauden_)》

《Anna Nakagawa: Born in Tokyo.She spent her childhood in Finland and Puerto Rico. She joined NHK as an announcer in 2016 and was active on “Sunday Sports” and as an on-site announcer for the Paris Olympics. After leaving the network in the spring of 2025, she joined the talent agency Horipro and is now active in a wide range of roles as a freelance announcer and entertainer》

From the August 21 & 28, 2026, combined issue of *FRIDAY*