Netflix Drama Downtime Reveals Behind-the-Scenes Of Ken Naoko's Full-Body Surgery Role
Netflix's Downtime, starring Mayu Matsuoka and Riisa Naka, depicts the cosmetic surgery industry's hopes and conflicts. Ken Naoko plays Yuriko Sakashita, a 75-year-old widow seeking full-body plastic surgery. Director Yuki Saito said filming was grueling: Ken sometimes arrived around 3 a.m. for three hours of special makeup before shooting began. Ken stayed playful on set, keeping the mood light with jokes. Sakashita also has terminal cancer, so Saito told Ken to lower her voice and speak hoarsely. Special makeup was trial-and-errored to show the surgery's before-and-after. Before the operation, she looks so wrinkled that a character says, "You're all skin and bones." Cast members including Hana Amano and Yumi Adachi underwent transformations without dubbing. Saito said a year of preparation made the special makeup possible, something he called difficult for terrestrial TV dramas.