Interview with Yosuke Kubozuka
Interview with Yosuke Kubozuka, who plays Yuto in Giri/Haji.
Published: 2 October 2019
Yuto is younger than I am, but I drew from all my 40 years of life to prepare for the role.
Why did the character of Yuto appeal to you as an actor?
It gave me the opportunity to portray the dual aspects of his character - his past, upbeat self, and his present, darker self - as well as the vulnerability of a conflicted man who is at the mercy of fate.
How do you feel the title of this series - which translates to Duty/Shame - applies to Yuto?
It applies to everyone to an extent, but I think the two words are expressive of the conflict between the duty Yuto feels towards his family, to his boss and to those around him, and the shame which stems from those relationships.
What most impressed you about Joe Barton’s scripts?
It goes without saying that the scripts are brilliant, but I was particularly moved by Joe’s approach. He turned up to set almost every day, watched every take on the monitor with the director, and continued to discuss ways to make improvements.
Did the role require much research for you?
Yuto is younger than I am, but I drew from all my 40 years of life to prepare for the role.
What was it like to work with Takehiro Hira, your on-screen brother?
It says it all that, now filming has ended, Takehiro is like a real brother to me. He’s dependable, reassuring and we’re able to challenge each other to do better. We’ve built a good relationship.
What was it like for you, working in London?
It became a place where I’d really like to live. The people are kind, and since it’s also an island nation, felt familiar in some ways. The big parks, even in the inner city, make it child friendly, too. Above all, I was struck by how many beautiful places there were.
Did the language barrier create any challenges on set?
Each day came with its own challenges, but communication with the crew grew better every day, which gave me confidence and pride in my own work. I’d like to improve my language skills and be the kind of actor who can work internationally.
What was it like filming the huge shoot-out sequence in episode four?
It was overwhelmingly intense. We used real guns, so it was far more nerve-wracking than I expected. It was like an indoor fireworks display! (Laughs)
How do you hope audiences - in Japan as well as the UK - will respond to the show?
I could hope for nothing more than for many people to see it, relate to it and be provoked by it, then to use the positives and the negatives to fuel a second season.
The Legend Of Giri/Haji
“Let me tell you a story. It
starts with Kenzo Mori. A Tokyo
detective, living a quiet life...
Until his younger brother comes to
him for help. Yuto. The black sheep
of the family. He’d done something
very stupid. But, as it turns out,
not everything can be fixed. Fast
forward a year and Yuto is dead.
Just another Yakuza that met his
end in a hail of bullets. Except
maybe not... Because as Kenzo is
about to find out, the past has a
way of coming back to haunt you.
Rumours start to circle that the
younger Mori brother may be alive
and living in a far-off land. And
soon Kenzo is on a journey to see
for himself. Kenzo and Yuto. A
killer and a saviour. But which is
which? Now, trouble follows Kenzo
everywhere he goes, but so, as it
turns out, does his daughter -
Taki. Sixteen years old. A brave
girl who befriends a lost boy.
Rodney. Half Japanese, half
English. He thinks if he talks loud
enough he won’t be able to hear his
demons. But he doesn’t know yet
just how loud they can scream.
On his way looking for his brother
Kenzo meets Sarah. Another cop
trying to escape something she
can’t outrun. Two people in a city
of eight million and they find each
other. So I suppose this isn’t just
a story about death. It’s a story
about life. And love. And
heartbreak. About the split second
decisions that we make and the
things we lose and win as a result.
It’s a story about gangsters.
(Abbot and Fukuhara)
Killers.
(Donna and Jiro)
Cowards.
(Vickers)
And heroes.
(Rei, Natsuko, Eiko,
Toshio)
It’s about two brothers. Engulfed
in chaos.”
