‘EXTREMELY WELCOMING’ | Ansel Elgort considers Japan second home while filming ‘Tokyo Vice 2’

February 22, 2024 , 05:03 PM

By Von Belinario

For an actor who was born and grew up in New York City, the hassle and buzzle of city life is quite a normal thing, that’s why American actor and singer Ansel Elgort finds peace and serenity in the “Land of the Rising Sun” while doing “Tokyo Vice” which now runs on its second season.

In an exclusive virtual interview with News5 and One News, the Golden Globe nominee happily shared why he considered Japan as his second home. He spent eight to nine months (in 2020) for the season one and additional months (in 2022) for the season two, plus a couple of it as preparations for the series. Due to COVID-19 restrictions back then, he stayed in Japan for New Year celebration.

“The Japanese New Year is such a spiritual holiday. They spent it with family and then in the New Year’s morning they go to shrine. It’s much more spiritual way of bringing the new year versus my whole life in America,” he said. He even compared it to how he celebrated holidays in his hometown. “You go, and you party and it’s always like the worst party because everyone decides that that’s the night they have to party. They spent way too much money on a bad party. You drink too much and on the next day you feel sick,” he added.

Because of his appreciation to the beauty and culture of the Japanese, since 2020, he always spends his New Year in Japan.

“People are welcoming. Everyone is extremely welcoming. The Japanese people have been so helpful in me learning the culture. They appreciate that I wanna learn the culture and therefore they really have been helpful, showing me everything, so generous,” Ansel said. And with that, he considers Japan as another home next to New York City. “This is actually the second place I spent the most time,” he shared.

WATCH: Tokyo Vice Season 2 | Official Trailer | Max

Elgort is back in “Tokyo Vice 2” as Jake Adelstein, the American journalist who had first-hand account of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police beat. It is based on the book “Tokyo Vice: An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan” written by Adelstein. It takes audience to a deeper look into the city’s criminal underworld as Adelstein (Ansel Elgort) comes to realize that his life, and the lives of those close to him, are in terrible danger.

In the second season, Elgort said that expect more actions and surprises as they untold more secrets of the Japanese yakuza or crime syndicates in the early 90s.

“Season one ended in such a cliff-hanger, so the great thing about season two is that it wraps up or resolves the story and audience will be left satisfied,” Elgort said.

His co-star, Academy Award nominee Ken Watanabe who plays detective Hiroto Katagiri, agreed. “Season one is a very great floor. True story starts in season two,” he said.

As the story progresses, Elgort and Watanabe learn to appreciate their respective characters as they learned so much from portraying them as much as they enjoyed doing the series.

“My personal takeaway is the same as just like Jake’s takeaway by the end of season two, I think he starts to learn more patience, he starts to learn to respect the people around him more…enough to question everything especially like as an American you kinda talk to question a lot of things and question all the rules. In Japan, you’re taught to follow the rules and to make society works smoothly not to exert question everything,” Elgort shared. “My great takeaway from the project, I think is also as Jake grows in his role, is learning that patience,” he added.

Watanabe described his experience as fun and challenging especially the project is set in his home country.

“1990 is really a past the era but it’s really traditional, it’s kinda like a still analog,” he said but despite the challenges, he enjoyed how he and the production team took back the early 90s vibe of Japan in the series.

“Tokyo Vice 2” also stars Academy Award nominee Rinko Kikuchi, Rachel Keller, Show Kasamatsu, Ayumi Ito, and new series regulars Yosuke Kubozuka and Miki Maya. It is created and written by Tony Award® winner J.T. Rogers. He also executive produced it alongside Alex Boden, Josef Kubota Wladyka, Brad Caleb Kane, Adam Stein, Ken Watanabe, Emmy winner Emily Gerson Saines, Ansel Elgort, Jake Adelstein, Kayo Washio, Destin Daniel Cretton, Academy Award® winner John Lesher, and four-time Academy Award nominee and Emmy winner Michael Mann.

Revisit “Tokyo Vice” Season 1 on HBO GO. Subscribe to HBO GO online at https://www.hbogoasia.ph/or the mobile app via the App Store or Play Store for only ₱1,190 on the 12-month plan. Or access HBO GO via Cignal, Globe and Skycable. HBO GOis also available on Android TV, Apple TV, LG TV and Samsung Smart TV – and comes with AirPlay and Google Cast functionality.

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