Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Mizushima Hiro
Aiming to be an actor with a masterpiece
Lead actor in Fuji's Mei-chan no Shitsuji, Mizushima Hiro, aims to be an actor with a masterpiece.
19th January 2009
It looks like the boom of girls yearning for such a butler to serve them has exploded. He plays the butler that does everything flawlessly, Shibata Rihito, in Fuji TV's drama serial 'Mei-chan no Shitsuji' (Tuesdays at 9). As in the drama 'Room of King' from last autumn by the same television station, he is playing a lead role. Although he says he "feels the same" about playing a role, it is a complete about-turn from his role as a young man doing odd jobs."A butler has the image of being the quintessence of manners, with the right posture and always aware of his speech. There's a feeling of control in his voice and tension too. But, this is the first time playing a role that requires me to stand so upright that my shoulders have stiffened a little," he said, smiling wryly.
Being a school setting, there are many characters involved. The location's always bustling. "In 'Room of King', I was surrounded by established older actors, this time, at one go, I feel young again. I was surprised at how everyone quickly got along, I'm enjoying myself."
The drama is set in a super-rich girls school 'Saint Lucia Girls Academy'. The students live in dorms and the school site covers a third the size of Tokyo. The monthly school fees is 100 million yen and an ikemen butler is attached to every student.
Within the academy, Rihito is the most desired butler among the girls. Born into a family of butlers who have long served the Hongo Group, he is devoted to serving Shinonome Mei, who is related by blood to the Hongo Family. Serving her, protecting her from bullying, he supports her as she grows into a splendid lady.
"An ikemen butler attached to every student. The drama's worldview is a little far-out, but I think it will be fun to watch on television. As a drama that shows the growth of the butler and young lady, it not just a comedy and you should be able to enjoy the other parts as well."
◇
After spending half a year modelling, he made his acting debut in Nippon TV's Gokusen (2005). The road to being an actor was a meandering one.
Originally, his aim was to be a professional soccer player. Studying for 6 years in elementary school in Switzerland, he started playing soccer then. He even participated in the High School Championships at the national level, advancing up to the semi-finals of MF. After entering university, he picked up an injury and had to give up soccer.
"I didn't know what to do." In despair, he resolved to study his only other interest, fashion. "If I go to New York, I don't know what I might discover there." He already had experience living abroad and was not hampered by language, knowing English. To earn enough money to go to America, he started modelling, after being introduced by a senior.
He said that he was bad at getting his photos taken. While trying his best at his work in order to build up his funds, interest in being an actor, in being able to express what's inside, started to stir. "I did not have confidence on being judged just on my appearance. I felt that in that way, you cannot make any impression of a person. I thought as an actor, even if it's just a little, I can express something inside of me to other people."
Up to today, he has not gone to New York. He does harbour feelings of going, but at the moment, work is his priority. "I want to appear in a good production. The role does not matter. I think the production is important. If people say 'Mizushima Hiro, he was in that production', then I think I would have become an actor with a masterpiece.
◇
☆ 3 Questions
1)When you are happy.
When people around me are smiling. If I have done something to make them smile, that would make me happy.
2)What you would be if you were not an actor.
I think I would have been a designer. I had even thought of going abroad to study it, that's how much it interested me.
3)The one thing you would bring to a deserted island.
Dokodemo (Anywhere) Door that Doraemon can produce. In that way, I can go anywhere.
Nowadays, if I do anything Hiro-related, I'll just start screaming Ayaakaaaaargh intermittently ~＼(_ _;)／~
フジ『メイちゃんの執事』主演 水嶋ヒロ 代表作持つ役者目指す
こんな執事に仕えてもらいたいと熱望する女子が急増しそうだ。フジテレビの連続ドラマ「メイちゃんの執事」（火曜午後９時）で何をやらせても完ぺきな執事・柴田理人（りひと）を演じている。昨秋の同局の連ドラ「Ｒｏｏｍ Ｏｆ Ｋｉｎｇ」に続く主演。役柄は「そのまんまって感じ」だったフリーター役から一変した。
「執事とはマナーの見本というイメージで、正しい姿勢、言葉遣いを意識している。声もテンションも抑え気味に。でも、これほどかしこまった役は初めてなんで、ちょっと肩凝っちゃう」と、苦笑する。
学園ものの今回は、とにかく登場人物が多く、にぎやかな現場だという。「『Ｒｏｏｍ～』では、芸達者な年上の役者さんに囲まれていたから、今回は一気に若返った。びっくりするくらい、みんな仲良く、楽しくやらせてもらってる」
ドラマの舞台となるのは、スーパーお嬢さま学校「聖ルチア女学園」。全寮制で、敷地面積は東京都の三分の一ほどあり、移動はヘリコプター。学費は月額一億円。生徒一人に、イケメン執事が一人つく。
理人は、学園中のお嬢さまがあこがれる執事の中の執事。大企業・本郷グループに代々仕える家系に生まれ、本郷家の血筋であることが分かった東雲（しののめ）メイ（栄倉奈々）に仕えてイジメや困難からメイを守り、立派なお嬢さまに成長するよう献身的にサポートする。
「生徒一人にイケメン執事が一人なんて、ドラマの世界観はぶっ飛んでるけど、テレビを通せば楽しんで見られると思う。執事とお嬢さまの成長を見られるドラマで、ただのコメディーじゃないところも楽しめるはず」
◇
半年間のモデルを経て、日本テレビ「ごくせん」（２００５年）で、俳優デビューした。俳優を職業とするまでは、紆余（うよ）曲折があったという。
もともと目指していたのは、プロサッカー選手。小学校六年間をスイスで過ごし、その時サッカーを始めた。全国高校サッカー選手権大会にも出場。ＭＦで準決勝にまで進んだ。大学進学後、けがでサッカーを断念する。
「何もなくなった」。絶望感の中、唯一興味があったファッションの勉強をしようと思い立った。「ニューヨークへ行けば何か見つかるかも」。海外生活も経験しており、英語には不自由しない。渡米する資金を稼ごうと、先輩の誘いもあってモデルを始めた。
写真を撮られるのは苦手だったという。資金のためだと頑張って仕事をするうち、内面を表現する俳優に興味がわいた。「外見だけで判断されるというのには自信が持てなかった。そういうところで判断されたくないって思っている自分がいて。内面が少しでも感じとってもらえる表現が、役者ならできるんじゃないかって」
いまだにニューヨークには行っていない。行きたい気持ちはあるが、今は仕事が優先だという。「良い作品に出たい。役ではなく、作品が大事だと思いますね。水嶋ヒロっていったらあの作品だよね、っていわれる代表作を持っている役者になれたらと思う」
（高橋知子）
☆３つの質問
＜１＞幸せを感じるとき
周りのみんなが笑顔になった時。自分発信で何かして、それでみんなが笑顔になるのはうれしいから。
＜２＞俳優になっていなかったら
デザイナーになっていたと思う。海外に勉強に行こうと思ったほど、興味があったので。
＜３＞無人島にひとつだけ持っていくなら
（「ドラえもん」に出てくる）どこでもドア。これがあれば、どこでも行けるから。
http://www.tokyo-np.co.jp/article/entertainment/news/CK2009011902000091.html
Labels: Mei-chan no Shitsuji, Mizushima Hiro, Winter 2009 Drama
-
On Thursday, April 23, 2009 6:54:00 AM,
wrote...
-
hmmm..he's so cute...but he married a bit too young eh?
