A Fusion of Luxury and Sports as Expressed by Actor Keita Machida | feature

Interview with Keita Machida I want to be an irreplaceable actor.

How do you usually enjoy fashion?

Machida: I like to dress comfortably, and when I choose clothes, I choose what I want to wear. I also consider it important that the clothes can be worn for a long time, not just for one season.

Where do you get your fashion information?

Machida: I often ask stylists to teach me on shoots like today's. They are fashion professionals, and they can help me choose exactly what looks good on me.

You don't pay much attention to trends, do you?

Machida: Yes, I am not very conscious about it. I really want to wear what looks good on me. In the past, I used to choose clothes according to my plans for the day or the place I was going. I would say, "I'm going here today, so I'll wear this," and I was conscious of TPO. But recently, I have been choosing clothes for myself, thinking about how I want to be, to be excited, and to be happy. I think fashion is a way of self-expression. So I think it is important to choose more freely, without depending on the place or scene.

This time, we were shooting a collaboration item between "Coach" and "Champion". How did you feel when you tried it on?

Machida: My honest impression is that it is very easy to wear. I used to dance, and I have been wearing Champion items since then, so I thought the clothes were very familiar to me. However, I also felt that the luxurious elements of "Coach" were mixed well, and I felt that it was fresh. I think the clothes are packed with the charm of both brands.

So you have made a new discovery.

Machida: That's right. I had never picked up Coach before, but I thought it was a cool brand that was easy to wear.

I also thought that this collection could be worn in a variety of situations. You can relax at home wearing this, or go for a walk around the neighborhood. It also has the luxury of Coach, so you can wear it when you want to go out in the city in style. In the sense that you can relax and be fashionable at the same time, I think these clothes are very much in tune with the times we live in.

Do you feel differently about these fashion shoots than you do when you are in front of the camera as an actor?

Machida: My field is the world of actors, so I am very nervous about fashion (laughs). But stylists, photographers, and hair/make-up artists are all fashion professionals, and working with them on location brings out a different side of me as an actor. I think it is a very gratifying place that enriches me.

When you work as an actor, you have to wear many costumes for different roles. Do you find that wearing a costume sometimes switches you on for a role?

Machida: Costumes are one of the elements that turn me on. Clothing is an important factor that controls the visual impression, so it has to match the role, and sometimes a costume can lead to new discoveries and a better performance.

How do you prepare for the role?

Machida: There are many ways to do this, but I think about it and develop an image of the character before shooting. I read the script over and over again and analyze the character before going to the set.

You take your time to familiarize yourself with it.

Machida: I wish I could do that, but there are times when I can't find the time, so in those cases, I do my best to make the best of the time I have and go into the shoot feeling like I'm taking on a challenge.

You recently appeared in the Netflix drama "Alice in Wonderland". The character you played, Daikichi Karibe, is the complete opposite of your usual image.

Machida: That piece was very difficult. I had played roles like Calvet in the past, but it was difficult to use violent language and behavior, and I had to get comfortable with myself. I thought hard about the role in my own way and began to wonder if a rough mind like Calvet's is a power that comes from daily stress. I was conscious of searching for feelings of anger and resentment in my own mind and trying to bring them out in the filming. But it took a lot of effort (laughs).

Nishi Ogikubo Mitsuboshi Yozakudo" will start this February. Ryoichiro Amamiya, who will be playing the role in the drama, is a warm-hearted young man with a gentle demeanor and a somewhat mysterious atmosphere.

Machida: Since the work is based on an original story, I hope I can do it without destroying the image of the characters. However, the original work has just started. I feel that there are difficulties in the sense that the story will continue to expand in the future.

I would like to focus on how he plays the role in such a narrow space.

Machida: I hope you will watch it. I want to make this drama enjoyable not only for fans of the original work, but also for those who are not familiar with it. I will communicate with the director and the onsite staff to make it a good production, so please look forward to it!

It has been 10 years since you made your debut as an actor on the stage "Bastard BLUES" in 2010. Looking back over the past 10 years, do you feel that you have grown or changed?

Machida: I think I am getting older (laughs). My tastes in food have changed since then, and I really feel that I have not been the same since then. However, there are many things that I could not understand 10 years ago that I understand now and that have become my food for thought. In that sense, I feel that I have grown up, and I want to continue to do my best without losing the momentum I had when I was young.

By the way, what kind of actor do you consider an ideal actor?

Machida: I am often asked about my ideal actor. Just as there are no two people exactly alike in the world, there are no two actors exactly alike. Each actor has his or her own unique charm and uses it as a weapon in his or her fight. That is why I want to hone my unique charm and become an irreplaceable actor. I think that is the most powerful thing. It would be nice if people who watch my films think, "Well, he's in this film, so it should be interesting.

Finally, what are your goals for the future?

Machida: I have many goals, such as wanting to be in this kind of film, wanting to play this kind of role, and wanting to work with this person. I would like to fulfill these goals one by one. I would like to do my best so that people who see my performance will feel some kind of positive energy from it.