5 Things To Know About Japanese Actress Ryoko Yonekura, Star Of Netflix's The Journalist: From Voicing Black Widow To Taking On Broadway
The ‘Doctor-X’ star was the voice of Black Widow in the Japanese dub version of the MCU movies.
Ryoko Yonekura has a history of playing rebels.
Look at her TV dramas Doctor-X: Surgeon Michiko Daimon, and Legal V: Ex-lawyer Shoko Takanashi where her characters are authorities-defying, outspoken, flamboyant and swanky.
Given that track record, one assumes that the model-turned-actress would port those traits over to her next series, as an investigative scribe in Netflix’s The Journalist.
Well, guess again.
The six-part series, which premiered on the streaming service last month, is adapted from the 2019 feature film that is in turn based on a book by journalist Isoko Mochizuki. The film, directed by Michihito Fuji, went on to win Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Actress at the Japan Academy Awards.
The serialised version, again helmed by Fuji, follows Yonekura’s Anna Matsuda, a maverick newspaper reporter covering a shady real-estate transaction involving the Prime Minister and his wife. As An descends down the rabbit hole, she crosses paths with corrupt bureaucrats who would to any lengths to bury the truth (send in the trolls, spread fake news).
“Actually, before the shoot, I prepared and developed a character of Anna who is articulate, brisk and tough, as I thought that would be the person they would expect me to play,” Yonkeura tells 8days.sg in an email interview.
She continues, “On the first day on the set, however, the director, Mr Fujii, asked me to lower my voice and said he wanted Anna Matsuda to be a person who is loved by everybody.
“I followed his direction and was very conscious of playing his image of Anna while patiently holding back my own image of Anna that I created before.”
The result: a more restrained, introvert and un-glam hero she’s portrayed before. Did Yonekura learn anything new from her latest alter-ego?
“I’m not sure if it’s useful or not, but what I learned from all these characters is the importance of resilience, tenacity, challenging yourself and moving on no matter what,” she says.
Here are five things to know about Yonekura and The Journalist…
1.Learning the ropes
To research her role, Yonekura spoke to female journalists and ex-reporters. “I wanted to learn everything from how they talk, what’s in their bags, how high the heels of their shoes were, how they spend off days, to why they wanted to be journalists.” What did the real-life journos think of her performance? “I thought I embodied what I learned from them, but I haven’t heard from them yet... I am afraid to listen to what they have to say (laughs).”
Looming deadlines: Ryoko Yunekura and the rest of the reporters at the fictional Touto newspaper pose for a quick picture before resuming their editorial meeting.
2. She steers clear of politics
In The Journalist, the government dredges up dirt on its critics by using the Central Intelligence and Research Office (CIRO) to monitor their social media activities. Unlike her alter-ego, Yonekura keeps her opinions about politics to keep herself. “I don’t make any comments on politics on social media, but it’s sobering to see some internet news reporting my trivial posts on everyday life.”
3. She’s not cut out for journalism
Looking back, Yonekura says the toughest day on The Journalist was filming Anna asking questions at the Prime Minister's Official Residence. “They were shot in the closed set in one day, with many takes,” she says. “It was very challenging, both physically and mentally. I went outside off and on and to some fresh air to calm myself down.” That said, Yonekura thinks she isn’t wired to be a reporter. “The word journalist hasn’t appeared in my head in my entire life. Never (laughs). Though I think it’s a very rewarding job that requires a lot of patience.”
Meet the press: Ryoko Yonekura says scenes like this — where her character Anna Matsuda has to fire off many questions at a government press conference — were very stressful to shoot.
4. Send my regards to Broadway
While the future of The Journalist is unclear 2, Yonekura is looking forward to returning to Broadway in November where she’ll reprise the role of Roxie Hart in the Tony-winning Chicago. This will be her fourth time playing the part; she’s previously performed it in 2012, 2017, and 2019. Is there another classic musical she would like to take a swing at? “I have a vague longing for Evita as I have an affinity for that character,” she says. “I’d love to try it when the opportunity arises.”
5. Au Revoir, Natasha Romanoff
Beginning with The Avengers, Yonekura had been the voice of Natasha Romanoff in the Japanese-dubbed version of the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, so she was sad to voice her one last time in last year’s Black Widow. Yonekura remembers meeting Scarlett Johansson at a film premiere in LA. “She is very friendly and we had a very honest conversation,” she says. “We kept in touch and met again in Japan when she visited here.” When one door closes another opens: Yonekura is game to voice other MCU characters in the future. “It’d be fun to play a non-human character.” You reading this, Kevin Feige?
Shoot to thrill: Scarlett Johansson in Black Widow. In Japan, her voice is dubbed by Ryoko Yonekura. The MCU movies — featuring Black Widow — can be streamed on Disney+ with the Japanese audio track option.
The Journalist, Doctor-X and Legal V— Ex-lawyer Shoko Takanashiare now streaming on Netflix. The MCU movies are available on Disney+.
Photos: Ryoko Yonekura/Instagram, TPG News/Click Photos, Netflix
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