+ act Riho Sayashi interview

 Published December 2020 (part of the interview is missing unfortunately)

I had just resumed my career after a five-year hiatus and wanted to try many new things, and this story came to me at a time when I was looking for a challenge. Moreover, I was surprised that Yamasato wrote the script, and I thought the timing was miraculous.

Riho Sayashi appears in the drama series “I had a dream of that girl” based on a collection of short stories by Ryota Yamasato of Nankai Candies.

What if you happen to meet a real-life actress or idol as the heroine? This is that story.

It was a bit strange playing myself. People say that I fall down a lot (laughs), but my role was filled with many of these elements. I think people who know me as well as those who will see me for the first time will enjoy it, so I'm very excited. Sayashi in the drama is a girl who dreams of being an actress.

Yamasato, who was fascinated by her dance practice, forgets himself and looks at her.

That was the first scene. For the dance scene, I was told to move freely, so I danced without music.
I had almost no experience with drama, so I was happy to do a dance scene.

She was guided by the careful direction of director Yuka Eda, who is still in her 20s, and her encouragement not to be nervous.

I got the impression that she was young but had a strong sense of presence and tried to work with people like me, who were just starting out.

In music, the rhythm is already there, but in acting, you have to create it yourself. It can be scary, but that’s what makes it interesting. The subtlety in acting is different than it is in singing or dancing.

She says that live performances are interesting, because there’s always something different, and that’s why she likes performing live, whether it’s singing, dancing or acting..

She says, "I don't know why, but I feel joy when I'm expressing myself.
Normally I'm a messy person, but when I stand on stage and turn the switch on, I feel a surge of energy. Maybe it’s my hormones, but something happens to me when I’m on stage lol
I hope the audience can see that. It's true that singing and dancing may not be necessities of life, but they are indispensable to me.

She decided to take a break from work when she was 17 to go to New York to hone her dance skills.
I had the sense that I was being guided by others in my life, and I wanted to change that.
I was a little afraid that I wouldn't be able to live without the support of others.
Everything about living in New York was new to me.
Because of my age, I couldn't go out at night in Japan, so at first I was a bit nervous about going out...