Higashide Masahiro & Karata Erika to star in new movie "Netemo sametemo"

Higashide Masahiro and Karata Erika will be starring in the real-life adaptation movie "Netemo sametemo" (Regardless of whether I'm asleep or awake) which is based on the same-titled romance novel by Akutagawa Award writer Shibasaki Tomoka. Filming will begin at the end of this month and the movie will be shown in cinemas next year. This will be Higashide's first attempt at playing two roles at the same time.

The story depicts how a woman Asako is unable to forget her ex-boyfriend Baku (Higashide) a carefree and unpredictable guy who suddenly disappeared without a world. When she meets another man Ryohei (also played by Higashide) who is a honest and gentle salaryman and looks exactly like Baku, Asako is caught between her feelings for the two men. The movie will describe the love stories between the three of them from the perspective of the two men who are vastly different in appearance and character.

Higashide revealed that he received the offer for this movie two years ago and it has been a long wait since then for the filming to start. As such, he is eagerly awaiting the start of the filming of this movie although he is also curious and worried at the same time. On the other hand, Karata made her debut in the drama "Koinaka" and was selected to play Asako through an audition. As this is her first heroine role, Karata admitted that she is feeling the pressure but felt very happy when Higashide praised her for being the right person to play Asako. She pledged to work hard in her last year as a teenager for the filming of this movie.

Sources: Yomiuri Hochi / Sanspo / Eiga.com