Misato Morita
originally published in her. magazine volume 11
Top & Dress _ Chika Kisada
Top & Dress _ Chika Kisada
Coat & Top _ Chika Kisada
Jacket & Skirt _ sacai
Dress _ LOEWE
Fur Jacket & Pullover _ sacai
Dress _ LOEWE
Fur Jacket & Pullover _ sacai
Photography _ Will Goodan
Styling _ Masataka Hattori
Hair & Makeup _ Yoshikazu Miyamoto(bNm)
Design _ Yukio Sugaya
@misatomorita_official
Jacket _ sacai
a conversation with Misato Morita
Writer : James Oliver
Despite making her first on-screen appearance at a young age, Misato Morita’s fame really shot through the roof following her depiction of iconic Japanese adult entertainment star Kaoru Kuroki in The Naked Director. Following our shoot on the streets of Tokyo, we had the privilege of sitting down with Morita to talk about her career, her ideology, and her vision for the future.
What initially made you want to pursue a career in acting? Where did the spark come from?
There were a lot of filming locations around the house that I grew up in, so I saw lots of filming during my childhood. It was really fun to see what went on the behind the scenes; the elements you don’t get to see on television. I was really captivated by the vibe and buzz of what I saw on set, and started thinking that it would be nice to be part of it as an actor one day. I think that was probably in my latter years of elementary school and it was right around that time that I was scouted by my current agency. I was even interested in the hair and makeup artist jobs, mainly because I initially thought this would be a more realistic career path.
How did you get your break in acting and what was your first job as an actor?
I was in a commercial for a private tutoring school called Eikoh Seminar. I got that job through an audition where I had to say, “Yes!” That was when I was in middle school and that was my debut. Even after joining the agency, I wasn’t auditioning much. I used to audition for dramas at the start of my career, but I would get too nervous and initially, I had trouble memorising my lines… It was a difficult time and something I really had to work hard at to overcome.
Is there anyone that has influenced you… or is currently influencing you?
My biggest influence has always been my parents. Ever since I was a child, my parents have always encouraged me to pursue what I’ve wanted to do. They encouraged me a lot and supported me when I said I wanted to go to a certain school or pursue a career in acting. I probably wouldn’t be here if they had ever been opposed to any of my aspirations. I think my parents believe in me, which inspires me to make responsible decisions and pursue what I want to do.
Do you have any particular job that has stayed with you?
Of course. This also applies to NETFLIX’s The Naked Director; that sense of having my true self and myself as the role completely blurred. I felt myself and the role come the closest together in the movie The Longest Photo in the World, even though I didn’t have a lot of scenes. The movie was based on a true story that happened in a high school, so we filmed at a real high school with real students as extras. In the movie, I was part of that group of students, so the whole time we were filming, it felt like I was a high schooler all over again. We lodged together for two weeks and I physically and mentally immersed myself into the role. This was the first time that made me understand what acting really meant, it really showed me what the industry was all about. The director would encourage me to improvise so this allowed me to show my true personality and character, this was truly enlightening. It was more like, half the real me, half the role, and that would ultimately make up one character. When I think about it, I still ask myself, “Was that reality?”
When we spoke earlier, you mentioned how you would like to take more ‘truthful’ roles; has this come from your experience filming The Longest Photo in the World?
Yes, that experience really impacted me. There was a bit of a gap between The Longest Photo in the World and my next role as Kaori Kuroki in The Naked Director. I studied her by watching her past works and I was so shocked when I saw I Like SM-ish Things that I couldn’t stop laughing. I couldn’t believe that actresses like her actually existed. I view the Kaori Kuroki that we see on TV or in videos as a character, as I imagine the real Kaori Kuroki would be completely different. I respected that contrast. Based on past interviews, it seems like she was a very quiet person off camera, but I think she was someone who lived a very full life, and I wanted to do my best to express that. I thought it was important to not only study her superficial characteristics, but to also try to understand her as a real person.
Are there any subcultures, like music, that inspire and influence you?
I don’t really listen to music… But if I were to, it would be something without lyrics. I like classical music and, in particular, the sound of the piano. I know nothing about pop music. I only like pleasant sounds; those that don’t distract me.
Of course, I love watching films, and I am a big fan of Anne Hathaway’s Pretty Princess and The Devil Wears Prada. They were the first western movies that I ever saw so I think that is why I specifically remember those two. When it comes to Japanese actresses, I like Yu Aoi, Hikari Mitsushima, Sakura Ando, and Kirin Kiki. They are recognised as actresses that rely on their acting skills, so I am always amazed by them.
Recently, I’ve been watching a lot of western movies. I really enjoyed Ford v Ferrari, Jojo Rabbit, and also the French movie Le Miserable. The story was amazing. I heard that it could have won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival if it hadn’t been for Parasite.
I like Korean movies, too and I often watch movies directed by Bong Joon-Ho, Pang Eun-Jin, and Lee Chang-Dong.
I feel like western and Korean movies are way ahead of Japan but that is just my personal opinion. For instance, even with the movie Parasite, it’s hard to determine which genre it belongs to, and I think that’s what makes it so fascinating.
What was your childhood dream? Do you remember what you wrote in your yearbook?
I wrote “actress” in my elementary school graduation yearbook, but I followed it with a question mark, so I don’t think I was too sure. In my high school yearbook, I wrote “film-related job”, so it looks like I was either being more realistic or that I’d lost a bit of confidence.
You did figure skating and ballet but, later on, decided to do acting; what was the reason behind your decision to pursue a career in acting in the end?
My father told me, “You know, if you run after two hares you will catch neither.” He encouraged me to choose between figure skating or a career in entertainment, telling me that it wouldn’t be good to pursue either of them half-heartedly. I had also been thinking to narrow it down to one, so after my father’s advice, I was able to make up my mind.
What do you think your strengths are as an actress?
What I have been keeping in mind is to do my best while being honest to myself, although I’m not sure if I have been able to follow that. There are still very few occasions where I am fully satisfied with my acting – actually, I wonder if I have ever been satisfied. But I’m always working towards achieving that.
Do you watch your own work? I know some actors don’t so I am interested to hear your opinion on this.
I watch everything and read all the reviews. For instance, we are filming season 2 of The Naked Director, and it is obviously connected to season 1, so I have to remind myself of what has happened in order to make those connections. To tell you the truth, I’d rather not watch them because I start thinking too much about how I can’t act, about how I could have done this or that better, so my perspective on my own performance can become very negative. Although, I know it’s probably not healthy, I don’t think this will change as long as I continue to act. If I ever become satisfied with my acting, it would probably mean that I’d reached my limit and that would be the end of my acting career.
The world has changed amid COVID-19; in your case, has it changed the way you look at acting?
Nothing has changed in regard to my acting; however, I do feel that society has drastically changed since the pandemic. We are having to face up to many issues that we hadn’t been taking seriously. We hear things like the way Prime Minister Abe is handling things won’t lead to any solutions, so I think more people are learning to raise their voices, which I think it is important. I would like to take on roles in the future that might have a more positive impact on society.
I would like to ask you about fashion; do you have a favourite brand, a specific style you like, or anything you collect in particular?
I am not really that interested in fashion although I do like Uniqlo. Simple is best, this is my favourite style. Even when I go to auditions, I think it is important that I don’t wear any bold colours because my roles come first. I have fallen into the habit of wearing simple clothes and I think it’s been this way since high school and college. I try to be a brand-new version of myself whenever I’m not impersonating a role.
Do you have any brands you would like to try? Are there any high brands or any stores that have caught your attention?
I had a chance to wear ARMANI for a magazine shoot the other day. It was very simple but designed in a way that would hug your body in all the right places. I was impressed by how the design is calculated to look that way. I don’t shop a lot, and when I do plan to buy something, I start thinking if I really need it or whether I would be able to use it for a long time or not. I think too much.
Do you want to be in a foreign movie sometime in the future?
I have an interest, of course, but before that, I want more people living overseas to know how amazing Japanese movies are, so I would rather be in Japanese movies and make them popular abroad. I think Japanese works are hardly watched by people around the world due to language and cultural differences in addition to gaps in nuance. Currently, I feel like the Japanese movie scene makes it harder for people to make original films. There are so many great works that are yet to be put out into the world. I first want to be in Japanese movies, portraying Japanese people, and to have those works watched by many people around the world.
What types of roles would you like to try and what kinds of stories are you interested in?
Most of the roles I am given are usually ones that I would never choose by myself and I think they are based off images of me held by others. Personally, I would like to try roles that are far from who I truly am because I would have to do a lot of research in order to portray the role to my best ability – and the harder it is, the more I have to study. And for me, that makes it all the more fun.