Posted in: Exclusive, Interview, Movies | Tagged: Ando Sakura, exclusive, Hirokazu Kore-eda, interview, monster, Well Go USA Entertainment

Monster Star Ando Sakura on Reuniting with Shoplifters' Director

Ando Sakura talks to Bleeding Cool about reuniting with 'Shoplifters' director Hirokazu Kore-eda for Well Go's family drama Monster.

Ando Sakura was set in her ways regarding her ambitions in Japan's entertainment industry at an early age as a child actress since her debut in True Horror Stories. Since then, she's amassed an impressive filmography with nearly 70 titles to her name, including 0.5 mm (2014), 100 Yen Love (2014), Love Exposure (2008), and Shoplifters (2018). She's since reunited with Kore-eda Hirokazu, the director of Shoplifters in her latest family drama, Monster, which follows a mother, Saori Mugino (Sakura), who's alarmed when she sees her young son Minato (Kurokawa Soya) starts to behave strangely. Discovering that a teacher, Hori Mitchitoshi (Nagayama Eita), is responsible, she storms into the school, demanding to know what's happening. But as the story unfolds through the eyes of the mother, teacher, and child, the truth gradually emerges. Sakura spoke to Bleeding Cool through a translator about the opportunity to work with Kore-eda again, her most difficult scenes, and her approach to acting.

Monster: How Ando Sakura Meeting Demands of Intense Role

Bleeding Cool: What intrigued you about Monster?
Ando: The primary reason is the opportunity to work with Mr. Kore-Eda. For 'Monster,' a lot of the 'Shoplifters' team was there, so it was an opportunity for me to be part of that team again.

What does a project like' Monster' allow you to do that you wouldn't usually be able to do?
It is working with Mr. Kore-Eda and the way his team works. 'Monsters' was also a different experience from 'Shoplifters.'

Was there a particular sequence, scene, or stunt that stood out to you that was more difficult than others to do, or did it feel the same throughout production?
For me, the scenes in the principal's office with all the teachers there were difficult because I had to express my anger and indignation in different ways. Also, what was said in those scenes affected my role in the other characters throughout the film. That's what was one of the most difficult areas in terms of shooting 'Monster.'

When it came to working with your castmates on set, what were they like? Did you guys do anything off-camera to build rapport and dynamic?
The cast and crew stayed at this old, worn-out hotel [laughs]. Since we shared the same facilities, we did develop a familiar family-like camaraderie. It wasn't like we did anything special in terms of communicating. There wasn't anything special other than that we were all focused on achieving the same goal: making this movie successful.

Were there any inspirations for your career that guided you as an actor?
[laughs] There are a lot of actors that I like and admire, but for me, there's no shape or a particular individual in terms of what I want to achieve in my life and what I aspire to. I am an actress. That role is in a particular description given to me at this time, but what I'm aspiring to doesn't have any shape right now. That's what I'm looking forward to achieving in my life. On the other hand, I want to do more roles that demand more physicality, and I also want to work with many directors.

Written by Sakamoto Yuji, Well Go USA Entertainment's Monster also stars Hiiragi Hinata and Tanaka Yuko. The film will be available as a limited release in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago on December 1st and nationwide on December 15th.

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