"Like Equation" is a serial project that interviews celebrities who are active in various fields and explores how to face "what they like" and their values. This time, we interviewed Marika Ito. Through interviews, I will push the back of people in their 20s who are worried that they can't say "I like" what they like.
Graduated in 2017 after working as a first-generation student of the idol group Nogizaka46. She continued to develop her talent as an artist, holding solo exhibitions and working as an actor on stage and in dramas. This time, the drama that started in July 2021 on TV Tokyo "If you meet your ears. I asked Marika Ito, who will be starring in a terrestrial serial drama for the first time, about the feelings when the drama was decided and the importance of conveying the feeling of “like”.
Laurie Press Editorial Department / ami Congratulations on your first starring role in a terrestrial serial drama this time! How did you feel when it was decided? Marika Ito I was surprised when the manager told me over the phone, but I didn't feel it right away. Most of the cast were nominated with a guess (*).*Note: In movies and dramas, the script is written after deciding in advance the actors who will play the roles.
Laurie Press Editorial Department / ami That's right! When I shot the poster for Marika Ito, I finally got a real feeling that "Ah, I'm really going to do it." I never imagined that I would star in a terrestrial drama.The first thing that bothered me was how the producer discovered me and chose me. I was happy, but I wondered why.
Laurie Press Editorial Department / ami Misono, who is playing this time, loves podcasts and Chenmeshi (chain restaurant gourmet). And she is a character who is not good at expressing herself in front of a lot of people. Are there any parts that you think are similar to yourself? Ito Marika I'm not good at communicating with people, and I tend to worry about them.And I thought that I was similar to myself in that I kept my favorite things hidden inside and couldn't stop chatting when I talked about them.
Laurier Press Editorial Department / ami I will never forget the amount of love Misono had for Chenmeshi and the happy expression on her face when she first delivered a podcast...! Misono challenges podcast delivery and does what is called "breakthrough". Mr. Ito, have you ever “exceeded the limit” yourself? There is Marika Ito! Laurie Press Editorial Department / ami Oh! What time is it? Marika Ito After graduating from Nogizaka46, she “breaks through the limits” at her solo exhibition “Marika Ito’s Brain Expo” (*).
The footage for the exhibition was filmed from night to morning, and during the filming, I, the subject, was always standing on the edge of a cliff at the brink. Originally, I didn't plan to shoot it in one shot, but at that time, I happened to be on the same wavelength as the cameraman, and when I finished dancing in one shot until the end, it was OK. Also, in the movie "Summer Film ni Ride" that will be released this summer, I'm trying to be careful in both good and bad ways. All the while, I felt like I was something more than myself. *"Marika Ito's Brain Expo": Marika Ito's first solo exhibition, centered on FASHION, SRT, MOVIE, and RADIO, held in 2017.
Laurier Press Editorial Department / ami How do you feel when that happens? I wonder if it's Marika Ito. Don't you often say that you lose your memory or that you can't stop crying? It's close to that.
People think that they can exert more power than they think, but it felt like that kind of thing came out in an accidental moment.
Laurie Press Editorial Department / ami It's something else that can't be expressed by emotions such as happiness or fun. When I witnessed the director and the technician working on the work with a dying spirit, I realized that this is what making things is all about. Laurie Press Editorial Department / After graduating from ami Nogizaka46, I think you went on to the path of acting. Ms. Marika Ito The trigger was the shooting of her first individual PV after joining Nogizaka46.If it were normal, I think everyone would shoot a PV together, but my first shoot was a personal video work. I was 15 at the time, and since then. Until then, I didn't know anything about plays or movies, but the space, smells, and sounds of that time were all shining inside me, and I still remember them vividly. Even though I had just become an idol, I thought, "Oh, this is what I want to do."
Laurie Press Editorial Department / ami Rather than saying that you originally liked acting, it was the shooting of the individual PV that got you started! Marika Ito That's right~. It may be a coincidence, but I had a very valuable experience.If it wasn't for that job, it might have been a job that I couldn't step into, saying, "I've never done a play."
Laurier Press Editorial Department / ami For me, the role of Inuhachitomu, which Mr. Ito played in the movie "Bet Kegurui", is in a way different from the image of Mr. Ito so far. It was very impressive.
Are there any roles you would like to try in the future?
Ito Marika-san! I'm not satisfied with Inu Yasomu's performance myself, but I'm happy to hear that from many people.At the moment, I've been getting a lot of roles given to me. I think I should challenge myself to play roles that I can draw out. I'm very strong myself, but through my role, I'm often seen as flat. I think that doing a lot of such roles is suitable for my way of doing things.
Laurie Press Editorial Department / ami In the short movie “Hajimari ka,” which was released at the first solo exhibition of Mr. Ito, he said that his hobby was “not like an idol”, but until now I’ve been worried about the eyes around me. Have you ever Marika Ito After entering her Nogizaka46, there were many cute girls around, so I decided to look for my strengths and weapons.At that time, I realized that my hobby was unexpectedly special. In terms of the environment in which I grew up, my parents are involved in design-related work, so I naturally tend to choose clothes that are rich in designs, and I like collecting moss and minerals. I was told more and more that the things I had taken for granted were unique and not idol-like, and I thought, "Oh, that's right." There were times when I was troubled, but I think that I was able to work so far because there were people who accepted me. I made "Hajimari ka," to convey that gratitude. Basically, before and after joining Nogizaka46, my stance of continuing to say "I like" what I like has not changed.
Laurie Press Editorial Department / ami Has anything changed since you announced your favorite things? Marika Ito I thought that by saying "I like" what I like, it would spread.At the time, SNS was banned, so blogs were the only place where I could post what I liked, but I was posting what I liked in whatever way I wanted. If I had only been active as an idol in Nogizaka46, I don't think I would have been able to do the work I am doing now.
Laurie Press Editorial Department / ami What do you think it means to convey the feeling of “I love you” to Mr. Ito? Ito Marika I used to be in a major idol group, and now I'm appearing in a terrestrial drama.But I think you'll lose sight of yourself if that's all you do. So, in order not to lose sight of yourself, I think you should keep saying “I like” what you like. Misono started a radio program because he said, "If you don't share what you like, your heart will die." If I don't say "I love you" and keep hoarding it, I think my feelings will gradually fade away. Isn't there a lot of people who can't proudly say "I like" what they like? I thought it would be strange to say that I like this... However, that's not the case, and when I summoned up the courage to say it, I found that I have a lot of friends.
Ms. Marika Ito Since long ago, I've always expressed my feelings of "I love you," so now I have many friends around me who I can share what I like.By sharing it with my friends, it leads to the idea that we can make something together again, or that we can do something interesting together. For example, if I kept saying that I like dancing, when I was a teenager, I would listen to Marika '17 and Marika Ito. The person who taught me the dance for the song "", this time, also did the dance for the ending of "Omi ni Aitara". That kind of relationship is also connected to my current job. That's why I don't think it's ever a waste to convey the feeling of "I like you".
Laurie Press Editorial Department / ami There are many positive things that can be done by conveying your feelings of “I love you”. Marika Ito I would like to share my favorite things and create things with people who share my feelings. I want to continue to cherish my relationships with these people.The thought of "I love you". Sometimes, I hide it because I care about other people's eyes. However, don't forget that having the courage to say "I love you" can give you the chance to meet new friends and possibilities, and it can be your strength. With her strong, twinkling eyes, she says, "I've put more emphasis on conveying the feeling of 'I love you' than anything else." The past that I have courageously conveyed is probably what makes Marika Ito who she is today.
Drama "If you listen. 』
Misono Takamura, the main character, is a personal growth story about starting a podcast program from a certain opportunity. Every episode features the popular Chenmeshi (chain store gourmet) that many people know! I will talk about my love for Chenmeshi with all my love. The next broadcast will be episode 6, Thursday, August 19, at 0:30 midnight. Reika Sakurai of former Nogizaka46 will appear as a guest, and Tamao Akae will appear as a legend personality. Chenmeshi is "Jonathan". Do not miss it! [Program overview] Thursday drama 24 “If you meet your ears.” Broadcast every Thursday from 0:30 midnight on TV Tokyo Program official website @tx_omimi “#Omimi” program official Twitter program official Instagram-linked podcast program "Kiyoshi Hikawa kii's welcome back meal" "If you hear it."
A check signed by Marika Ito will be presented to one person only for those who have viewed Laurier Press's Twitter!
1. Follow @laurier_press 2. Like & RT this post
[#Gift plan] #Mr. Ito Marika (@marikaito_staff) autographed cheki for 1 person
How to apply 1. Follow @laurier_press 2. Like this post & RT the previous tweet with a comment RT to increase the winning rate Deadline 8/22 (Sun)
▼ Interview with Marika Ito https://t.co/h6xkhpB2e4 pic.twitter.com/xb9JpWVU7p- LAURIER PRESS (@laurier_press) August 15, 2021August 15, 2021 (Sun) ~ Sunday, August 22, 2021
*If you would like to receive a gift, please be sure to release the DM on your Twitter account. *Winners will be notified via DM on Twitter. *The check is scheduled to be delivered in late August. Please apply by all means! (Interview and text: Laurier Press editorial department/ami, photography: Sachiko Horasawa)
