[CH.53] Appearing on My First Variety Show for Movie Promotion
**TL Notes: So as not to confuse you all, I made a list of the characters that get mentioned in this chapter that you may have forgotten before. Sumire Matsuda: MC Yoko Ando (Yoko-san): Sumire's manager. Azusa Oshima: Sumire's mentor. Kenji Nakamura: Senior Actor Director Kanzaki: Antagonist. |
(Ugh, I'm so nervous.)
While I hardly felt nervous during movie shoots or magazine photo sessions, today is different. From my past life and into this one, interacting with others has always been a challenge for me. Furthermore, appearing on camera and speaking in front of it makes me understandably anxious. It's natural to feel uncertain about whether I can perform well. I'm not very good at talking to people I don't know, especially during initial interactions where I have to talk a lot.
Hiding in the shadows of the set, I wait for my turn with Director Kanzaki. A lovely dress, predominantly navy with white collar and cuffs, was provided as my costume and a pair of loafers was placed in the dressing room. However, it seems the director didn't have a costume. He stands next to me, wearing a slightly worn-out suit, appearing somewhat tired.
"Are you nervous, Sumire? Don't worry, most questions will probably be directed towards me, and the host should be experienced enough to provide assistance," the director says with a smile, patting my head. Well, it's easy for the director, but I can't help feeling extremely anxious about this. It's my first time on a talk show, and it's a prime time show, which adds to my nervousness. I ask the director to support me actively, and he agrees with a wry smile.
"Now, let's bring out today's guests. Please welcome!"
As the host announced this, the doors in front of me opened. The dazzling spotlight beamed through the set and reached all the way to the dark backstage, causing me to squint a bit due to the discomfort. Sensing my unease, the director extended his hand towards me, offering to escort me.
Perhaps because the audience was present, a chorus of applause and voices exclaiming, "So cute!" came from the audience seats. The director has a somewhat aloof demeanor, so these words were probably directed at me. I understand that these are cues given by the assistant director for such reactions, but it still feels a bit embarrassing.
As we made our way to the guest seats, we were applauded not only by the audience but also by the celebrities sitting on the stage. We were placed slightly opposite them due to the host's position, creating a feeling of facing them from our seating arrangement.
When I took my seat, the male host scrutinized me and quipped, "Is she the director's child?" Of course, this was his playful banter. I made sure to greet the people appearing with me in the show before going on stage. However, the audience, unaware of this, chuckled at the host's words.
"Unfortunately, I'm not the director's child, although I'd be more than welcome if I were such a cute child."
The director's self-deprecating response once again elicited a small round of laughter. After this exchange, a female assistant introduced both the director and me. I nodded when my name was mentioned and listened attentively to her words.
"The latest film 'CHANGE!' directed by Mr. Kazuki Kanzaki, which will be released at the end of November, stars a double cast—Kenji Nakamura and our very own Sumire Matsuda!"
At these words, there were astonished exclamations from both the audience and the panel. It's not something you'd typically expect, having an adult male and a young schoolgirl share the same role.
"Well, to be honest, Mr. Nakamura only has a total screen time of about 15 minutes, but he visited the studio with treats whenever he had the chance."
When the director mentioned this and asked me for my thoughts, I couldn't nod in agreement. Instead, I replied with a somewhat cryptic, "The cheesecake was delicious." This response, for some reason, prompted another "cute" reaction from the audience, which I couldn't quite fathom.
"Well, you know, it's kind of hard to understand, isn't it? Seeing is believing, as they say, so let's watch the video. Sumire-chan, could you please introduce it?"
"Yes, please play the video!"
With a smile directed at the camera, I held out my right hand as if presenting. The promotional video for the movie began to play on the monitor visible to both the panel and the audience. The video comically edited scenes of the main character's transformation from a man to a young girl and the various perplexing situations she faces as a girl. It's essential to convey this, as without it, people wouldn't understand what kind of movie it is, and it could deter them from watching it.
After watching the short one-and-a-half-minute clip, the camera returned to the studio. It felt like the audience and the panel were looking at us with slightly different expressions than before.
"Um, well, I hate to ask, but you are a girl, right?"
The male host asked this with a hint of bewilderment, and although I felt a bit flustered, I answered, "Yes," and nodded. In response, I heard impressed sighs from various corners of the studio, making me feel somewhat out of place, causing me to fidget.
"I think even from that short video, you could see that there was a bit of Nakamura-kun in her performance, right? Of course, it takes effort, but she's a very talented girl."
The director said this as if he were proudly boasting about his own daughter. As he spoke, the admiration in the gazes directed at me intensified. I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed and noticed my face turning beet red. But this was part of the television job, and if I kept my head down, it would be a big mistake. After all, I did a job that exceeded expectations with the previous video, so there was no reason to be embarrassed. I raised my head, determined not to be self-conscious.
"Sumire-chan, was it? Where did you learn acting?"
A man sitting in the middle of the second row of the panel asked in a low voice, his arms crossed. He's an actor I often saw on TV dramas and variety shows even from my previous life, and although he sounded stern, this was his usual demeanor. Despite knowing this, I still felt the weight of his presence, making me slightly anxious. I gathered my resolve, smiled, and managed to reply.
"I've been receiving guidance from Azusa Oshima-san."
"You're Azusa's student? At this point, you already have a promising future."
Azusa's name reverberated throughout the entertainment industry, and it's always impressive how widely recognized she is. I've always thought about how amazing that is. However, there's a long way to go before I can stand out on my own. I hope to become an admired individual like Ms. Azusa, but I know it's still a distant goal for me at the moment.
"Sumire-chan has been living at Oshima-san's place and undergoing acting training since she was in the third grade. In addition to that, she has appeared in magazines, commercials, and dramas," the assistant mentioned, and several photos of me from magazines were displayed on the monitor. Since I mainly work with girly clothing, there are no embarrassing photos of me posing in fashionable outfits, but even so, it's a bit embarrassing to see photos of myself like this.
In the late Heisei era of my previous life, images from other network dramas were usually shown without hesitation, but it seems that in this era, it's still a bit of a taboo, and educational drama videos weren't prepared. By the way, there's also an atmosphere here that avoids mentioning the names of other broadcasting stations. Drama titles are often concealed as well.
"Was she originally a child actor who caught Oshima-san's attention and became her apprentice?"
The male host directed the question at me, but I wasn't sure how much I should reveal. If I started talking about how I met the director and why I participated in the contest, it might lead to complications, especially if my sister happened to watch the show.
"No, actually, it was me who introduced Sumire to Azusa Oshima," the director chimed in with a cheerful tone, perhaps sensing my hesitation.
"Eh? Were you already acquainted?" the host asked.
"Well, we actually met at the audition for the 'All-Japan Beautiful Girl Contest.' I fell in love with her at first sight there and pulled her into this world. Oh, of course, when I say 'fell in love,' I mean with her acting abilities. She performed really well, you see."
"Ah, that's quite surprising. I was momentarily skeptical about the director's broad strike zone. But Sumire-chan is also charming in appearance, so it wouldn't be surprising if you developed feelings for her," the host remarked.
As the male host continued to support the conversation, I felt that there was no need for such efforts. I do think I have a cute appearance, but I'm aware that it's not at the level where most people would easily praise me as a beauty.
The director went on to say, "After seeing that, I was eager to have her in my film. That's when I realized that Azusa-san, who's always looking for talented actors as her successors, could be a great match for her. I introduced Sumire to her and she took her in as her disciple. Of course, there was also an acting ability test before taking her on as a disciple, which she passed with flying colors. I gained confidence in my own judgment."
While the director made this lighthearted comment, the audience responded with more admiration for me than laughter. Personally, I think that the introduction by Director Kazuki played a significant role in Sumire's success in the audition. At that time, my acting skills were nothing more than those of an amateur.
"However, I still feel guilty for separating a young girl from her family and having her live in a dorm. I sent her to Tokyo all alone, and I continue to feel remorse for that," the director suddenly confessed, which caused a stir in the studio. When the host asked if I lived in the dorm, I nodded in agreement.
While an ordinary elementary school student might find it lonely to live apart from their family, I had already completed my nest leaving long ago as an adult. Being far away from friends is much lonelier than being away from family.
"I digressed a bit, but in the film, Sumire-chan perfectly portrays a boy with masculine behaviors. How does she usually act? The director has prepared a VTR, so please take a look."
It seemed that the assistant gently steered the conversation back to the main script's progression. Once again, the monitor displayed a video—why all of a sudden?
"Is this a piano recital? Sumire-chan, are you taking piano lessons?"
"Well, actually, during the preparation for this film, the director instructed me to start learning the piano for the first time..."
What was shown was footage from a piano school recital that I participated in at the director's insistence. Watching it objectively, I couldn't help but feel embarrassed about my attire back then. Seriously, it's like I'm dressed in a princess-like costume. Although cute cheers came from the audience, this outfit might have been a bit cringe-inducing.
"Oh, so you're a beginner, and you're playing like this? By the way, how long have you been playing the piano at this point?"
"...A little over six months, I guess?"
As the studio buzzed with whispers, the video continued to play one scene after another. There were shots of me swimming in a pool, focusing on my homework, enjoying meals with the director and others, and playfully interacting with the girls from the swimming class. Well, I'm glad I acted like a regular girl. Since I couldn't see myself from an objective perspective, watching it this way and seeing that it looked natural put me at ease.
When the video ended and we returned to the studio, a woman sitting at the edge of the front row of the stage hesitantly raised her hand. I believe she was a violinist, and when we met, I was left with the impression of a kind older sister.
"Um, Sumire-chan. In the beginning of the movie and during the piano recital earlier, your hair was longer, right? Did you cut it?"
Ah, I see. I guess women are curious about it, too. Some staff members, including Yoko-san, were angry with the director about this, but I cut my hair willingly. I need to answer in a way that doesn't provoke any more hate towards the director.
"Well, I cut my hair during the movie's production as it was necessary for the film. I actually used scissors in a scene during the filming to cut it. I'd be happy if you could watch the movie to see in which scene I cut my hair."
I even added a smile, and I thought it was a perfect answer that incorporated promoting the movie. However, for some reason, all the women in the studio were looking at me with pained expressions, and they all directed stern gazes at the director beside me. I had thought that I gave a perfect response, so why did this happen?
But when I asked the dormitory residents who were watching the broadcast together later, they explained that regardless of how I answered, it was inevitable that the blame would fall on the director for cutting my hair for the movie. Indeed, if I were in the same position as a third party and knew nothing about the details, I might have thought the director was a terrible person. After all, even in my past life, there were many people who would make judgments without knowing the full story.
The director's stance of not denying it and saying, "Sumire-san understands, and that's fine," was probably because he knew that it wouldn't get through to those people no matter what he said. Nevertheless, it saddened me to see that someone who knew the truth was being misunderstood, so I did my best to defend him. I hope that fewer people will speak ill of the director.
---
Thanks to the director's storytelling, we ended up doing impromptu things like performing outside the studio and participating in unexpected quizzes. But I somehow managed to handle my first variety show. However, after the broadcast, there were numerous phone calls offering opportunities like, "Would Sumire-chan like to come alone to promote her movie on our show?" and "We're okay without the director, we'd like Sumire-chan to appear." These offers poured into the agency.
I don't know what exactly endeared me to them, but it's needless to say that Yoko-san was quite flustered dealing with this sudden storm of offers. It looks like I'll have incredibly busy days in October, and there's a hint of melancholy in the sigh I let out.
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