「第二の故郷」で開いた新境地

By Hiroshi Matsubara

　映画『永遠の僕たち』で、『硫黄島からの手紙』に続くハリウッド作品への出演を果たした加瀬亮（37）。幼少期を過ごした米国ワシントン州からほど近い、オレゴン州ポートランド市で行われた撮影を振り返り、全編英語のセリフに初チャレンジした苦労と、映画の見どころを語った。

　The last time Ryo Kase sat down with Asahi Weekly in early 2010, the actor said he had just finished his second Hollywood film, in which he plays the "ghost of a kamikaze pilot working sort of like an angel in contemporary America."

　Even the actor himself seemed at a loss to explain the complexity of his role, but the movie, titled "Restless," turned out to be a fantastical coming-of-age drama, typical of acclaimed filmmaker Gus Van Sant.

　In a recent interview with Asahi Weekly, the 37-year-old actor recalled the experience of making a film in the United States, a country he spent much of his childhood in.

　Kase also talked about how he hopes the post-3/11 Japanese audience can relate to the story about the loss of loved ones and the emotional recovery process.

Question: What is the movie's must-see point for a Japanese audience?

Answer: I believe when you lose a loved one, that the sense of loss and pain can never be compensated. While that sense of loss may linger throughout one's life, the movie shows that it may not be always a bad thing. In the climax, my character, a ghost, yells at the protagonist, "You have everything." It's a metaphor for the idea that mortals can find encouragement from the presence or even the sorrow of the dead. Through interaction with the dead, the movie casts a positive light on life, thanks to the director's unique view of the world and visual aestheticism.

Q: How does your character fit in the story?

A: It is a fantasy drama based on a children's book, so I tried not to focus too much on exactly recreating a kamikaze pilot, although I interviewed a kamikaze survivor and read some books. I tried to build a character live on the set, taking advantage of being such a transient presence - a ghost! What was challenging were the long lines of English I had to learn. It took me five times longer to memorize the lines and even longer to be able to speak them in my own voice.

Q: Did you feel like an outsider yourself, like your character?

A: Not really. We shot in Portland (Oregon), and its people, language and gloomy weather were much like Bellevue (Washington) where I grew up. As a kid, I was so used to living in the Pacific Northwest that I felt like a complete outsider for a long time after I returned Japan when I was 7. I spent many days and nights hanging out with Henry (Hopper), Mia (Wasikowska) and other crew members, like going to classical concerts after the day's shooting. It was memorable.

Q: What did you get out of your Hollywood experience?

A: You know, it is very difficult for an actor to stay confident, because you work with all different types of directors and they say all kinds of things, encouraging and discouraging. Unless you develop a strong core identity, you'll end up losing yourself. Working with a respected filmmaker like Gus Van Sant and talented foreign actors gave me a newfound confidence.