Let's see, where do we start this year?
Tori: I'll start with something that I only talk about here: my frustrations. This year, I settled my mind on "Wandering" but there were some awards that I didn't catch on at all. I wanted to get up on stage as many times as possible and say, "Thank you, Director Lee Sang-il" Of course, winning an award is not everything, but it is a rare opportunity for a film to be noticed and appreciated. I am very grateful to the team of "Wandering" for all their help, so I have some frustrations.
For you, winning an award means being able to express your gratitude out loud.
Tori: Before, I thought it was an element that increased the value of an actor. There is no easy definition like personal records of an athlete's for us, and especially when you are a newcomer, it can lead to a wider range of work. But after I passed that stage, I wanted to express my gratitude to all the cast and crew involved in the production by involving many people, and I also felt the joy of drawing attention to the work once again. I feel like I can leave behind one solid form.
Yes, that is true. But you have won so many awards in recent years that it is not uncommon for you to say, "I'm sorry, it was a close race this time".
Tori: There's that but there's a frustration I can't explain (lol).
In the last PLAYBACK, you mentioned the kanji for the year 2022 as "据" (据る). (meaning: settle)
Tori: I was just reminded of "Wandering" behind that kanji, so that leads me to frustration. In a sense, it was a good experience for me. It is not so easy to experience this kind of aftertaste (settlement), and I think that human life is really interesting. A big disappointment can be a new trigger.
Did you feel like you had done all you could do with "Wandering"?
Tori: I felt like I was completely wiped out. It was more than I expected. It was very difficult because I had to shoot "Fragments of Last Will" right after that. I couldn't get anything out of myself.
You mentioned in our last interview at the end of last year that director Lee's direction was amazing. Did you feel that when you saw the completed film?
Tori: I felt that I was given the best opportunity to challenge myself. Surrounded by Mr. Lee, cinematographer Hong Kyung-pyo, and top-notch staff in the lighting and sound recording departments, it is a great honor for an actor to be able to play such an important role in such an environment. That experience was nothing short of amazing.
That's happiness at the highest level.
Tori: That's right. So it was really hard to get back to that level again. I was like, "What am I going to do now?", I'm not interested in anything. I was just thinking, "I'm in trouble," and I thought, "This is burnout. That's what this is all about!"
Is it your first time?
Tori: I'd heard the word a lot, but this was a complete first that I was experiencing burnout.
How did you recover from that?
Tori: I didn't. I went into "Lageri" set in the same state and asked for help from everyone there. There was no other way but to borrow power from everyone. I was also helped by the co-stars, director, and producer of "Lageri".
You crank it up in 2021?
Tori: Yes, we finished in late December. After that, I went on a break. Then, in March, I started filming for the Netflix drama "Let's Get Divorced".
You got a much needed break.
Tori: I had two months to regain my energy and strength. I had lost a lot of weight for the "Wandering," so I had to take care of that as well.
Did you think about work during that time?
Tori: I was so exhausted that I couldn't even put it in the corner of my mind. I used up the entire contents of the storage tank in "Wandering" and the spare tank in "Lageri," So, I felt as if I was collapsing, and I couldn't think about the performance. I started with a blank mind. It was like, "The sun has just risen, so I have to get up".
I am glad you had a long break.
Tori: Really. Also, I was relieved that "Let's Get Divorced" was a light comedy in a good sense of the word.
Even if you couldn't think about the performance, did you think about yourself?
Tori: I wondered if I would ever see another work like "Wandering" site. I wondered "What kind of people, sites, and works should I choose again?" This is the battle. "What kind of people, sites, and works would lead me to a place where I could truly feel that this was a new challenge?" I have thought about this a lot, but I don't know how to go about it.
It is not that I have been working for the sake of "Wandering," but rather, it is the result of a series of coincidences, and everything is an accumulation. So, in the end, I decided to go back to the starting point. I have to build up from there, one step at a time. The only difference is that I and the people around me have already gone through a full cycle of experience, so I can re-stack them in a different way. It is great to have that experience, and I have come to the conclusion that I just have to enjoy it anew.
Did your thinking change the way you prepared for "Let's Get Divorced"?
Tori: I read the script and felt the same as usual. It had been two months since I had acted, but it had also been a long time since I had been in a comedy, and for some reason, during the camera test, I felt like this was a new experience for me, and I was sure it would be the driving force for me to move on to the next project. Coincidentally, the cinematographer at that time was someone I had not seen since the "Kaito Royale" drama. In the middle of his camera, I felt like a newcomer, or perhaps I felt that the pleasure of working on a production was expanded.
Were you able to maintain that feeling going into the shoot?
Tori: I was able to maintain that feeling, but it was physically demanding because it had been so long without acting. My schedule was pretty tight, so it was like shock therapy (lol).
I was surprised to learn that Kankuro Kudo and Shizuka Oishi co-wrote the script.
N-mane: It is quite a luxury, isn't it? It's a great pleasure to be part of such a collaboration. What I always think is that Matsuzaka-kun, who is drawn by Mr. Kudo and Ms. Oishi, is not cool at all. I wonder if that is the image they both have in common (lol).
Tori: Indeed. (lol) I'm sure the bad me is more interesting to write about.
How is it for you as a performer?
Tori: It's fun, very fun. People are basically twisted, aren't they? But I'd like to have the opportunity to play the roles of the ikemen that they wrote.
After the filming of "Let's Get Divorced" was over, did you work on any new production?
Tori: No, I had commercials and promotional work, but I didn't start work on a new production, and took a break. I was glad to have a break because "Let's Get Divorced" was unexpectedly hard and exhausting. I started shooting a new film in October, again in a lighter direction.
Do you use a different kind of energy when acting in comedies than in films with heavy themes?
Tori: Yes, there is a difference. I use my head more in comedies. If I just went with the mood and atmosphere on the set, I felt that the finished product would be dull when you see it. I am conscious of the need to have a bird's eye view and a sense of calmness to avoid the "What the heck, it's just an inside joke!".
On the other hand, when the theme is heavy, how much atmosphere can I perceive in response to the weight of the theme... I have to make sure that I can put that element into my body. It is a totally different approach. In a comedy, it is better to quickly respond. In the case of heavy works, however, it is necessary to allow time for the atmosphere to drift by. It changes the way you pitch the ball to your opponent. (Note: Basketball term)
Easy to understand.
Tori: I'm talking like this now, but in the past, Naito-san (N-mane) used to give me a lot of criticism, and I used to get so nervous that I couldn't understand what she was saying (lol).
N-mane: To be honest, I couldn't imagine that the day would come when Matsuzaka-kun would be told that he was good at acting. In 2010, he was in a drama series called "GOLD," and I saw Matsuzaka-kun's performance before the main shoot, and I was so disappointed that I called him in to read the script.
Tori: What? Did you ever do that? I don't remember that. It was so bad that it may have been erased from my memory.
Human beings are forgetful creatures. (lol)
N-mane: I asked him to read a scene in which he was expressing his feelings, and he said, "No way!" (lol).
Naito-san, When did you start to appreciate Matsuzaka's acting?
N-mane: The time I thought "Matsuzaka-kun's acting was good" is... Surprisingly, it might be the stage. Henry IV (2013). I thought he might have gotten better.
Tori: That's thanks to Dir. Yukio Ninagawa and Kotaro Yoshida-ojisan (uncle).
I saw it myself, and I couldn't believe it was your first Shakespeare production.
Tori: I was under a lot of pressure, and when I asked Kotaro-ojisan for advice, he said, "I don't know, either". Until then, I had only experience with "The Legend of the Galactic Heroes,". I had been told that my performance was too conventional and clichéd, but Kotaro-san broke all that down. I had scenes with Kotaro-san from the beginning, but I didn't know how it was going to turn out each time. Depending on the mood of the scene, I would have to take action. I feel like I learned many things during the performance. Kotaro-san did some outrageous things in a good way, which made me feel less scared on stage. I don't mean that I was lazy. I learned how to relax, and being able to work with experienced people in a live space like a theatre stage is definitely something that has helped me in the past.
Did you have any other experiences like that?
Tori: I also had a great experience in "The McGowan Trilogy (2018)" directed by Eriko Ogawa. I was trained so hard. She told me "When the other person takes action, it is a gift." She told me every day "to accept the gift and return it properly". But as I did that, the lines they were saying were flowing into my body more and more. Even if we are doing the same play, I can tell when the other person is in a good mood or a bad mood, and this allows me to be creative in how I respond to the other person. I can see the true meaning of what Ms. Ogawa was saying.
Only theatre can do that.
Tori: Exactly. For example, if there is a performance in front of you, even if you are playing the role of a person who is watching from the sidelines, the intense emotion is a gift in itself. You should be standing there receiving that atmosphere. The audience can see it.
Once you understood Ms. Ogawa's intentions, did it go smoothly?
Tori: No, not at all. There were elements that were not good until the very end, right up to the final performance. She would say, "Yesterday it was good, but today it is not". She was so detailed. It was amazing, really. Looking back, I really appreciated it.
Your story about the gift is also connected to "Henry IV," which you mentioned earlier.
Tori: That's exactly right. I want to be flexible. For example, in a drama like Taiga, where there is a sense of style and beauty, you have to take into account not only the atmosphere of the scene, but also the style of the scene, and you have to pause a little before saying "Yes" (hai). So I feel it is very important to have a clear understanding of the world of the work.
When did you start to feel that you had found your own style of acting?
Tori: I guess the last 2~3 years. Maybe more recently.
The movie "The Blood of Wolves" opened a different door for you, didn't it?
Tori: I was told by Dir. Kazuya Shiraishi that since Yakusho-san (Koji Yakusho) would be gone for the last 15 minutes of the film, it would be up to you to keep the story moving so that the audience wouldn't get bored. I had to reread the script again to make sure that I could construct scenes with proper calculations, and where to put the dots and make a solid and continuous performance till the end. It was the first time I had to face such a challenge.
You, who is known for not being open about the depths of your feelings, seemed to have opened up quite a bit since then.
Tori: I think that might be true. When I work with actors, they give me a tremendous amount of passion. It is as if something beyond my current ability is pulled out of me. It is a synergistic effect that could be called ideal. I think it is also a way to make the other person's performance stand out, to make the most of the other person's skills. I can't give you a specific scene, but I can tell you that no matter what the person says, you receive it as a gift and give it back to him or her with great care. I think that is how Yakusho-san himself shines. At the same time, he makes people who are not the main actors become the main actors. He is the one and only actor who can do that. His presence in "The Blood of Wolves" was tremendous.
You frequently mentions Koji Yakusho.
Tori: He is so wonderful. I can understand why so many people, including actors and directors, want to meet him.
Do you think about the future of Tori Matsuzaka as an actor?
Tori: I have, of course, played aggressive roles, but I have overwhelmingly been on the receiving (reactive) end. I feel that the culmination of my career is "Wandering". I guess you could call it a kind of closure. (Note: He was using basketball terms: offensive, defensive)
Next, will you go on the offensive?
Tori: I think I have to work aiming at it. I think the roles of offense and defense are different, and in Slam Dunk, I am a rebound. I just retrieves the missed balls.
Do you have any desire to try out as an offensive player?
Tori: I don't think so at the moment. I think my personality is that I prefer to watch. I am more suited to the position of watching and listening. Also, as an actor, I cannot act unless I am offered a role. Whether or not a role in an aggressive performance will come my way is unknown.
N-mane: He did do a lot of offensive roles, but the offers he gets are more for defensive roles.
You played the ultimate passive role in "Call Boy" as well.
Yes, I did aggressive roles, but it's interesting when I think about it. I wonder what will happen when the role of an offender comes to me now.
Is there an actor you would like to be teammates with?
Tori: I think I mentioned before, Satoshi Tsumabuki. I think Satoshi Tsumabuki is also a defender, so I don't think I have a chance to be his teammate (Note: They are the types who got similar types of roles so if producer calls one probably not the other). I have seen his promotional materials and read his interviews, and I think he is a wonderful person. I would love to work with him.
How about the director?
Tori: I would like to work with a Korean production team. I have worked with Shim Eun-kyung before, and it was genuinely interesting. Eun-kyung's ideas are very free, and she does what comes to her on the spot, without worrying about the connection between shots. The cinematographer was able to respond to her ideas, and more importantly, everyone was having fun with it, making the whole process extremely flexible. I thought it was an environment where things beyond the script were easily created on the spot. I don't mean to imply that Japan is bad, but I would like to experience such an environment.
I am sure that this is also from the perspective of "enjoying anew".
Tori: That's right. But as I say that, I also feel a little sad. Since I like Japanese works. Lately, in our (Japan) industry, "getting buzz" seems to be the goal, and there are many people who act just to create buzz, which sometimes makes me feel a little uncomfortable.
N-mane: Many things are happening so fast. We hesitate to throw away a paper copy of a photo, but we can just press and hold an app and delete it in a flash. I feel that it is more important to create something new in an instant rather than to take the time to enjoy it.
Tori: The rocket is placed on the launch pad. The rocket is fired. Yay! We're going into space! The end! Where do we go from here? Moon? If it's the moon, what are we going to do when we get to the moon?
If only rockets were being launched, the state of space would be frightening. Various rockets will be floating here and there. I just saw a comment at the office's year-end party (lol). "If I have a strong purpose for the buzz, and if I aim for the buzz for that purpose, then it makes sense."
So, what will be next year's Kanji character?
Tori: I guess this may sound like "rewinding", but I think it will be "直," which means "to enjoy again".
In fact, it seems like a difficult thing to do.
Tori: I also think it is difficult. I have experienced so many things that I don't find it as stimulating as I did when I first started. But I am still looking for freshness, so I keep thinking and trying things out. I think this applies to jobs other than acting as well, and I think both Funada-san (interviewer +act Chief) and Naito-san (N-mane) are also feeling this way.
N-mane: The job of a manager also applies because we are not a private agency and we keep doing the same things over and over again.
I always ask myself what I can do next after cherishing the annual cycle.
Tori: Isn't it? So, after having enjoyed the first round of fun, for example, I would like to go deeper and cultivate a sense of enjoyment from a slightly different angle, rather than just saying, "I'm not going to do this again". Maybe that's the point of exploring oneself.
If you have a technique, I'd like to hear about it (lol).
Tori: No, it's a challenge for me, too. Moreover, in such a fast-paced era, someone who had only talked about "Slam Dunk" in junior high school has to take the challenge (lol). The topics of junior high school students nowadays seems to change even between Mondays and Fridays.
I hope you will continue to be involved in interesting productions while enjoying yourself in this area as well.
Tori: Of course, if I don't hit the dots one by one, I will never get there. Sometimes you have to do what you have to endure in order to do what you want to do to the best of your ability. I would like to face this challenge with that kind of determination.
Where is the you rocket at the moment?
Tori: I like the moon, so I am heading toward the moon, but I think it is still in the second engine ignition stage.
We still have a long way to go (lol).
Yes, that's right. Now, if we could do this project again next year, what would I talk about?
I wondered if you could have some fun again. but it's going to be a different level of answer than in the past.
Tori: I'm kind of scared, but I'm looking forward to it!
