In Takahisa Zeze’s melodrama about returning from the front lines after World War II, “Fragments of the Last Will” (also known as “From Siberia With Love”), viewers at the Tokyo International Film Festival’s opening had the opportunity to see Nakajima Kento showcasing his acting versatility.
Nakajima, a well-known J-Pop artist, has vowed to devote more of his future professional efforts to acting. He has a decent potential of becoming the next person to get international notice due to his attractive appearance and strong English language abilities.
His lengthy and arduous entertainment apprenticeship was typical of the Japanese industry. Before being released as a member of the idol group Sexy Zone, it required a brief spell with the Johnny’s Jr. music act B.I. The all-powerful Johnny & Associates entertainment agency provided Shadow with four years of multidisciplinary training.
The agency’s obstacle course is meant to screen out the weak while simultaneously fostering the development of various acting, dancing, singing, and other performing arts abilities. Nakajima claims that “many days we had to get up at 5 am.” He also takes a satirical look back at the misguided support. “I still recall Mr. Johnny thanking my parents for enrolling me in piano lessons. He extolled them. Not me,” Nakajima replied.
“We underwent extensive training. But I did learn from my training to react to the pace of things,” Nakajima remarked. Both are required to find the performance’s rhythm and follow the acting’s escalating flow.
“I want people to see how committed I am to my craft in my performances. I enjoy acting and bringing a character to life. And I enjoy creating characters of all various kinds, added Nakajima.
Tour in Europe
Working on his debut role in a foreign television series for “Game of Thrones” executive producer Frank Doelger’s espionage drama “Concordia,” Nakajima spent the middle of this year in Europe. Artificial intelligence controls society fairly, but after 20 years, the creation secret threatens to topple the entire structure. Nakajima plays AJ, the young, smart kid who keeps the technology going, against Christiane Paul, Steven Sowah, and Ruth Bradley (“Ted Lasso”).
“AJ is the I.T. guy from Asia. His arrogance grows each time, but he is still a highly educated and cool person who deserves respect, according to Nakajima. We had a highly diverse crew that included British, Americans, French, Germans, and Italians. I initially struggled a bit because I wasn’t working in my home tongue, but I soon felt much more at ease and learned some of the many things that [moviemaking around the world] has in common.”
Nakajima claims he is searching for further foreign roles after “Concordia,” which counts ZDF, MBC, France Televisions, and Hulu Japan as partners. He lists “Top Gun: Maverick” and “50 Shades of Grey” as recent favorites, demonstrating his unmistakably mainstream preferences. And he envisions himself eventually advancing into a position as a creative executive. Nakajima stated, “I have frequently served in a production position for Sexy Zone and am eager to develop a 360-degree experience for fans. But in short to medium term, performing – music and acting – will continue to be his top goals.
The next challenge will be to export that loyalty abroad.