PROFILE
Born on June 10, 1989, in Tokyo. He won the Best New Actor Award at the 8th TAMA Film Awards for his role in the 2016 film *The Katsuragi Incident*. In 2024, for his role in the TV drama *Unmet: Diary of a Neurosurgeon* (KTV/CX), he won the Best Supporting Actor Award at the 120th The Television Drama Academy Awards, the Best Supporting Actor Award at the Tokyo Drama Awards 2024, and Best Newcomer at the 49th Elan d’Or Awards for his role in the 2024 TV drama *Unmet: A Neurosurgeon’s Diary* (KTV/CX). He has appeared in numerous productions, showcasing a wide range of acting skills that allow him to portray different expressions depending on the role.
PROFILE
Born on December 24, 1987, in Oita Prefecture. She has gained a following among women of her generation for her unique worldview and sense of style, and has appeared in magazines, movies, TV dramas, and commercials. She writes columns on movies and travel and demonstrates her talent in various fields, including product development. She is the mother of two children. In 2021, she published her first essay collection, *Aka*. She has appeared in films such as *Sad Tea* and *Two Strangers*.
An unexpected first-ever interview between the two has come to fruition.
—I imagine some readers might find this pairing surprising. Could you tell us how you two met?
Wakaba:I’d known about Mr. Aoyagi for a long time through a mutual friend. When Mr. Aoyagi was coming back to Japan this time, we started talking about how nice it would be to work together. Since jumping right into an interview might be a bit much, we decided to start by having dinner together—including our mutual friend.
Aoyagi:I’d also heard about Wakaba-kun from that mutual friend. One time, while watching my friend’s Instagram Live, Wakaba-kun appeared, and I thought, “I’ve seen this guy in one of my favorite movies.” I’d been watching that movie and thought, “There’s an actor there who gives a really great performance.”
Wakaba:I think everyone in our generation knows who Aoyagi is, don't they? Whenever I went to a convenience store, there were tons of magazines with Aoyagi on the cover. I used to read street fashion magazines and check out her Ameba Blog, too.
—What were your first impressions of each other when you actually met?
Aoyagi:I thought Wakaba-kun was the quietest person of all.
Wakaba:People often tell me I talk more than they expected.
Aoyagi:He talks a lot (lol)
Wakaba:I'm shy around new people, so I started talking a lot to hide my embarrassment, and I guess it just became a habit. It's the same on set, too.
Aoyagi:(In the interview) What about now?
Wakaba:Right now, I'm kind of acting like an actor. I'm wondering if this is how actors are supposed to talk (laughs).
Aoyagi:There are a few moments involving Wakaba-kun that really stuck with me during that short time. One time, while eating chocolate cake, Wakaba-kun remarked, “When you eat gâteau au chocolat, chocolate always gets on the fork, doesn’t it?” He wondered, “I wonder if there are people who can eat it neatly without getting any on their fork.”
Wakaba:What a crappy story (lol)
Aoyagi:Right. So, at first we were just casually saying, “Yeah, that’s right,” but then I happened to glance over and saw him shaking like crazy, trying really hard to lick the chocolate off his fork (laughs). I think he was trying to make everyone laugh, but that really stuck with me.
Wakaba:It just happened naturally, though.
Aoyagi:So, that really put my mind at ease. I thought, “He’s just a regular person.” I realized he’s the kind of person who has that kindness that makes him want to make everyone laugh.
