オダギリジョー、ハードすぎる撮影に「生きて帰れるか心配だった」／映画『マイウェイ 12,000キロの真実』特別映像試写会

Joe Odagiri and Director Kang Je-gyu Attend Special Screening of the Film "My Way: 12,000 Kilometers of Truth" Kang Je-gyu, the director of the hit Korean films "Shiri" and "Brotherhood," has a new film, "My Way: 12,000 Kilometers of Truth." A special screening of the film was held on November 21st at Shinjuku Wald 9, with Joe Odagiri and the director in attendance. They discussed behind-the-scenes stories and highlights of the film. This epic war film, set against the backdrop of World War II, depicts the story of two childhood friends, one Japanese and one Korean, who dream of competing in the Olympics in the marathon, and how they powerfully survive despite being tossed about by history. Odagiri plays the protagonist, whose extraordinary fate leads him to become a soldier in three different countries: Japan, the Soviet Union, and Germany. Co-starring with him is top Korean star Jang Dong-gun. Odagiri praised Jang Dong-gun, who played one of his childhood friends, saying, "There are no words to describe him other than 'a wonderful person'." "There were hundreds of staff members on set, and I gave everyone a down jacket as a gift. Despite the harsh cold, everyone wore them during filming," he revealed. The eight-month filming period was extremely demanding, but this was foreseeable from the script, and Odagiri initially refused the role. Regarding his final decision to take on the part, he commented, "It was the director's personality. He was warm and passionate, and he kept trying to persuade me to take the role. I was incredibly grateful for his kindness, and I thought that if I could be of any use, I had no choice but to do my best." Even so, he admitted, "When filming began, I really didn't want to go." Meanwhile, the director explained his reason for casting Odagiri, starting with a laugh, "He's handsome, isn't he?" before adding, "He's well-known in Korea and has many fans, and he's a great actor. He's the first actor who immediately captivated me. I really wanted to work with him." Many of the staff were apparently fans of Odagiri (especially women), and he shared an anecdote with a wry smile: "All three of the editing staff were women, and they were huge fans of Odagiri. When I tried to cut his scenes, they strongly objected." Odagiri also took up marathon running for the filming. His coach was Mari Tanigawa, a female marathon runner, and he even trained with the famous comedian Neko Hiroshi. Odagiri testified to Neko's abilities, saying, "He was incredibly fast; I was almost taken aback," before offering his support, "I hope he can become a Cambodian representative (at the Olympics)." Since the film is still unfinished, a specially edited version was screened that day. Odagiri himself seemed overwhelmed by its power, saying, "Looking at it again, I was surprised at how powerful it is. The scale is incredible." He confessed, "Honestly, there were times on set when I got fed up thinking, 'How much more are we going to shoot?' (laughs)," before adding, "But I'm glad I persevered and followed the director's lead." The director addressed the audience, saying, "We will create a film that lives up to your expectations, so please look forward to it." When asked if his view of history had changed after appearing in this film, Odagiri sincerely stated, "I think there are different perspectives on World War II in Japan, Korea, and China. I think it's a difficult theme to make into a film, and perhaps it's something that can't be dealt with in Japan. That's why I thought this project was very challenging and meaningful. (This film) depicts Japanese people within the context of a Korean film, but I think my involvement made it more authentic. I tried to maintain my Japanese identity. I acted as if I had been involved in World War II, and this is how I would have done it." "My Way: 12,000 Kilometers of Truth" will be released nationwide on January 14, 2012. [Related Articles and Videos] ■ Joe Odagiri, who played a soldier in a war epic, confesses, "I stayed true to my identity as a Japanese person." https://www.moviecollection.jp/news/1... ■ [Video] Joe Odagiri, Jang Dong-gun, and others hold a press conference for a war epic. They talk about the brutality.    • オダギリジョー、チャン・ドンゴンらと共演した戦争大作の壮絶さ語る／映画『マイウェイ ...   ■ [Video] "My Way: The Truth of 12,000km" Teaser Trailer    • オダギリジョー×チャン・ドンゴン！映画『マイウェイ 12,000kmの真実』特報   #JoeOdagiri #MyWay #MyWay12000kmTruth