Since her debut in 1992, actress Maki Sakai has continued to perform in a variety of roles in movies, theater, television, and commercials. She and designer Teruhiro Yanagihara, whom she met through her husband, photographer Kokoro Suzuki, have something in common: both in her work and in her private life, she values human relationships above all else. And she lives her daily life carefully. This is because she believes that her acting, whether in movies or on stage, reflects her daily life.
Story by Maki Sakai
We are currently rehearsing for a play by Muneko Nemoto, one of the most notable young performers in the theater world. When Mr. Nemoto was around 23 years old, he wrote ``I can do it now, to the best of my ability.'' ' is a story about people desperately struggling to survive. The script has a lot of energy. When rehearsals started and we met, I thought it was a miracle that we had so much fun together. Some people are mainly active on stage, while others are musicians and it's their first time on stage. I think Nemoto-san will be able to create something that I have never seen before.


Sakai's unique style lies in his extremely simple clothes and hairstyle.
The key to choosing a work to appear in is whether there is something that appeals to you. If there's something that appeals to me, like I like the director or the script is really good, I'll jump in. Now that I'm older, I want to be of some help to everyone. If someone asks me to do something, I'm willing to do anything as long as it fits my schedule.
This may be the case with any job, but the joy of acting is being able to help people and make them happy. I'm most happy when the people who watch it are happy. I'm happy when the staff on set are happy, when the director gives me the OK with a smile, and when I'm on stage, I get to hear the audience's reactions directly, so it's really fun. Acting is a team effort, so I think if there are good interpersonal relationships, a good work can be produced. In a big sense, being alive itself is teamwork. I can't survive by playing alone... Therefore, I feel that if you value human relationships in everything you do, things will move in the right direction.


It's not just good looks, it's beauty that reveals a strong inner side.
The actresses I am aiming for are Yuko Tanaka and Kirin Kiki. The reason is that she is an actress who can see her way of life. We actresses also play ordinary people, so I think it's wonderful to see people who smell like real people, and I'm really attracted to them. Her favorite movie is ``My Life as a Dog'' by Swedish director Lasse Hallström. It's a story about a small village, and if you say nothing will happen, it won't happen, but after all, people are living very well. I also take buses and trains regularly, and of course do housework. I want to live a life where I can know the price of radish. I want to cherish each day and live carefully.


On your feet are high-quality lace-up shoes.
My child is still in the second year of elementary school, so the reality is that he is stressed out every day. I'm always preoccupied with my kids and work schedule, like making meals at this timing. But this won't last forever, and it's actually fun to think that now is the only time. Perhaps because we are entrusted with a single life, we are able to create something with a strange amount of strength.


I would like to express my gratitude to the people who watch my work.
From now on, I would like to carefully deliver each work to the viewers and convey my gratitude for the life I have lived. When I say this, it seems like I'm nearing the end, but instead, I want to keep pushing forward while feeling grateful.


Profile
Maki Sakai
Born in 1970 in Tokyo. She made her acting debut in 1992. Since then, she has been widely active in movies, commercials, dramas, and stages. In 2008, she won the 18th Japanese Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress and the 23rd Takasaki Film Festival Special Award for her role in the film ``The True Story of the United Red Army's Journey to Asama Sanso''. In 2019, she appeared in the movies ``Teach me the way to the station'', ``108 ~ Goro Kaiba's Revenge and Adventure'', ``Black School Rules'', and the dramas ``Child of Fraud'', ``Hand of God'', ``Distorted Ripples'', etc. Appearance. From December 2019th (Friday) to December 12th (Thursday), 13, a stage performance directed by Muneko Nemoto will take place at the New National Theater Middle Theater.Monthly “Nemoto Muneko” No. 17 “Do the best you can now.” ”Scheduled to appear on. Also, in 2020, the movies ``Imaginary OL Diary'' and ``Haruwo Uruhito'' are scheduled to be released.
Styling by Yamamoto Mana
Hair&Make-up by Akamatsu Eri (esper)
Text by Yoshiko Takahashi
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The warm circle of people connected by Teruhiro Yanagihara
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