Eh.. I don't know if there are any fans of Mao-chan in my neighbourhood but I was asked to translate one of her magazine articles and I did (I posted it on my LJ as well) but I guess I'll post it here to since they both relate to 'fandom' and this is supposed to be my 'fandom' blog. ^^;;
(sorry for page stretching >.<)
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Wanting to know an entertainer’s ON
and OFF’s
Mao Inoue ON/OFF
For two months is the plan to untie
the ropes of popular female actresses. For our 21st appearance is
Inoue Mao whose recent image shows the strong impression of having suddenly
become very adult-like. Going halfway into her 20’s, this actress’s career has
gone on for more than 15 years. Has the image of being an actress, when she was
small, continued, remaining unchanged? Also, has she changed along with her age? We’ve asked about everything!
＊＊＊
An
actor’s road is endless
When
I watch dramas or movies, regarding the show, I become greedy
――As a child
actor, and later, with your career packed as an actress, Inoue-san. On your
own, when did you decide “I’m going to continue on
this path!”
「[Acting]
was something I had always been doing so there’s no exact moment that could be
called “this time”.
Also more than thinking, “I want my future to be
like this”, I wanted the moments happening
now to be fun. I was the type who thought you couldn’t waste your time. It was
a feeling that flowed naturally with no particular hesitations. 」
――Has there
been a time when work was too busy and you thought you couldn’t go to school or
“I want to play more!”?
「Since
I was small, on top of my basic personality (laugh) I hated to lose so I’ve
always gone between my double-life in school and as an actress and have become
accustomed to that rhythm [of life]. Therefore, I’ve been able clear it cleanly」
(A/N: I
did a very literal translation but I think she means clearing the obstacle of
work taking over her private life as a child)
――If you do
that, you must be good at separating your ON and OFF?
「That’s
right. Although, during my school days, while commuting to school, when I was
with classmates it felt like I naturally switched into OFF [mode]. But now, all I
have is work to concentrate on so how I’m going to change [my ON and OFF’s] might become a problem. 」
――On your
last work “I’ll Give My First Love to You”1
you played a middle-schooler, now in “My
Darling’s a Foreigner2” you play
a company worker, as an adult actress your roles have grown suddenly. Don’t you
feel things such as confusion?
「I
thought that marriage would be a long way off so, somehow, it’s a strange
feeling. I’ve thought this myself as
well but others around me have been seriously saying “Mao
has turned that age to start thinking about marriage”(laugh).
But I’m already 23 so getting married isn’t such a strange idea. It’s just, I
was told by the original author [of the story], Oguri Saori-sensei3
,“Having such a young girl play my
role is a bit embarrassing!”(laugh).」
――In the
movie, Oguri-san also appeared didn’t she. What was it like acting in front of
the real person?
「I
was definitely doing it, so there was the nervousness of needing to make a work
[Oguri-san] would be happy with. This time though, there was no need in trying
to re-create [her] outer-appearance so I didn’t worry to that extent. I acted
while thinking about being able to let out Oguri-sensei and Tony’s smiles.
――Acting as Tony, is Jonathan Sherr’s
first time in a movie. Did you give him any sort of advice?
「I think that as long as you have fun it’s fine, but Jonathan is the type
who seriously thinks about his own abilities so Director Ueda and the staff,
everyone, had something to say. Things like “You don’t have to worry so much”. But if
someone said the word“appropriate”[Jonathan] would get mad. He’d say“It’s not appropriate, it’s suitable”(laugh)」
(A/N: this
is a pun on the words適当 and適切, both of them basically mean the same thing but there are slight differences that don’t really make it in
the English language)
――You want to see the real Tony don’t you. (laugh).
「Of course (laugh). Jonathan is quite the “boke4” character and so when he
makes bad jokes, everyone attacks (tsukkomi5) him (laugh). This
filming site is really warm, it really feels like we’re acting within an
atmosphere like that of a real family.」
――Marriage is nice isn’t, haven’t you also thought so?
「I
have thought about it (laugh). Before I didn’t want to get married and aimed to be a
hard-working career women but lately I’ve had the desire to get married or, I
should say, this movie has influenced me in wanting to get married (laugh).
It’s like, if I could ever meet a person whose always happy, by my side,
encouraging me and so on.」
――If you do get married, will you continue working?
「I
wonder……. I don’t like being half-hearted so, I think, if I continue, I’ll
continue, if I stop I’ll completely stop 」
――You will completely stop?
「Ye-ah……. There are
still a lot of things I want to do though so right now it’s something I can’t
even think of. It may also depend on my partner and the age I get married.」
――The things you want to do are…?
「An actor’s road is endless isn’t it? When I see dramas or movies I think
things like“I want to
act this type of character” or “I want to
act with this actor”. It’s greed.」
(A/N: greed is the literal translation of the word貪欲, but what
Mao means is when she see’s movies and what not, she wants to do more, such as
act with that person, or do that sort of role… not “greed” per say but
something close to wanting as much as you can have)
――And a person you’d like to act with is?
「Morgan Freeman6 etc…」
――That’s quite high-class
(A/N: シブイis the word used to describe
refined tastes… so in this case I couldn’t think of a proper synonym and used
the first word that came to mind…)
「From a long time ago, I’ve always liked experienced people (laugh). If
it’s a Japanese actor, Nishida Toshiyuki7 or Mikuni Rentarou8
etc. Therefore, earlier, when I was able to act with Nishida-san I was
extremely happy! 」
――As expected, you like being an actress don’t you.
「Being able to experience different people’s lives is very fun. Also, I
like the feeling of having to complete something starting from zero. Using
everyone to make something, completing it and giving joy to lots of people. I
think, somehow, it’s a wonderful job.」
――It looks like “marriage/a retirement declaration” are going
to have to wait for the time being.
「That’s right. Definitely not any time soon (laugh).」
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1 -「僕の初恋キミに捧ぐ」or “I’ll
Give my First Love to You” is the movie Mao did with Okada Masaki that came out
Oct.2010 in theaters and was recently released on DVD
2 – 「ダーリンが外国人」or “My
Darling’s a Foreigner” is the movie Mao just did (based off a manga) recently
starring Jonathan Sherr, released in theaters recently
3 – Oguri
Saori (or Saori Oguri in Western culture) is the author/manga-artist of the
manga that the movie “My Darling’s a Foreigner” is based off of.
4 – “ボケ”or “boke”
is the term used in Japanese comedy to represent the person who always
does/says stupid things (Arashi-fans, Aiba or Sho could be considered the
“boke”)
5 – “ツッコミ”or
“tsukkomi” is the term used in Japanese comedy to represent the person who
insults/hits the “boke” character and points out his/her mistakes (Arashi-fans,
this would be Jun or Nino)
6 – Morgan
Freeman, if anyone doesn’t know (I’d be surprised) is a very popular and
well-known American actor. One of his more known, recent works would be Dark Knight (Batman)
7 – Nishida
Toshiyuki (62) is a famous Japanese actor whose is probably more known for all
the NHK Taiga dramas he’s starred in
8 – Mikuni
Rentarou (87) is very famous, acted in many, many movies, won awards, huge
Japanese actor
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I am open to requests by the way ^^
