This season, Kataoka Rin is appearing in two drama series: Nippon Television's "We're Worse at Love Than Pandas" (Saturdays at 9pm) and TV Tokyo's "Kimbap and Onigiri: Two Lovers Are Similar But Different" (Mondays at 11:06pm). She is also expanding her horizons with the release of her first leading role in a film and her first attempt at voice acting in the animated feature film "The One Who Steals This Book." We asked Kataoka what time of day she feels happiest outside of work.
Kataoka was born on October 6, 2003, and is 22 years old and hails from Gunma Prefecture. He gained attention for the videos and photos he posted on TikTok and Instagram, which he launched in the spring of 2021, and joined the talent agency Flamme at the end of the same year. He made his drama debut in "Ishiko to Haneoto: Sue for That?", which aired on TBS in 2022, and also attracted attention for his performance in "Tora ni Tsubasa," an NHK morning drama series airing in the first half of 2024.
Perhaps due to the impression she made from her role as Misae in "Wings of a Tiger," Kataoka's charming presence makes you feel like "something is going to happen" just by appearing on screen.
"I don't yet have a clear goal in mind of what I want to become as an actor, but I have always wanted to be a unique person. This applies both as an actor and as a person, but I want to be someone who is always pursuing things that only I can do."
When Kataoka is away from work, he says the happiest time is when he is with his father, a designer.
"I'm happiest when I'm with my father. He's someone I really respect as a person, and he's my 'partner in life'. We've been together ever since I was little, and he's always taught me to express myself, and he's always told me to 'be strong,' so I think he's had a big influence on me. I was particularly impressed by the words my father said, 'This world may be hell, but if you change your perspective a little, it can become heaven,' and it's something I keep in mind as I live my life."
Kataoka says he never had a rebellious phase.
"There was never a time when we were rebelling or drifting apart. We've always been close (laughs)."
When we asked Kataoka what other time he values in his daily life...
"As an actor, I treasure the time I spend watching productions. I feel truly happy when I can watch something I love and immerse myself in it."
Recently, I've become obsessed with the late Yusaku Matsuda's final film, "Black Rain," released in 1989. Matsuda was diagnosed with terminal cancer just before filming began, and he hid his illness, risking his life to capture his image on film in this masterpiece.
"I love 'Black Rain' and have been engrossed in watching it over and over again. I really like Yusaku Matsuda, and the aura of the character Sato, a yakuza, and the murderous intent you sense even when he's not saying a line, are incredible, and I would love to play a role like that someday."
