Cover Yuyu Kitamura stars in Netflix’s ‘Dead Boy Detectives’ (Photo: Paul Sunga)
Yuyu Kitamura stars in Netflix’s ‘Dead Boy Detectives’ (Photo: Paul Sunga)
1 / 1
In our 10 Minutes With… series, we speak to Yuyu Kitamura, the Japanese actress raised in Hong Kong who played Niko Sasaki in the Netflix series ‘Dead Boy Detectives’, about her career, latest projects, being a third culture kid and more
The Hong-Kong-kid-to-Netflix-series-breakout-star pipeline is growing: Isabella Wei landed her first major role as Ling Yi on the reality-bending thriller 1899 (2022), Sang Heon Li debuted as the enemies-to-lovers heartthrob in the young adult series XO, Kitty (2023), and now Yuyu Kitamura has made her mark in as the whimsical sidekick Niko Sasaki in the supernatural comedy-drama Dead Boy Detectives, which was released this year.
We sat down with the Japanese Hongkonger last month to discuss her experience working on a large-scale production as her first role, the Asian characters that inspired her journey into the entertainment industry and the importance of communicating your boundaries.
Read more: NewJeans’ YouTube livestream shows how K-pop idols are striving for autonomy over their careers
Why did you decide to pursue acting?
I [first] found my joy in performing when I was at primary school in Beacon Hill, and I continued to do theatre—I attended Faust International Youth Theatre, and my secondary school [King George V School] had a great curriculum.
A lot of families in Hong Kong ask the pivotal question: “What do you want to do?” The wonderful thing about my parents is that they’re so supportive, and they assured me that it was up to me to figure it out and that they’d help me any way they could. I think that if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have ever decided to pursue this.
How would you describe Dead Boy Detectives to someone who hasn’t watched the show?
The series follows two dead British boys who found each other [in purgatory] and they’ve formed an unlikely, yet deep friendship. In the world of our show, when you die, you move on, but these two boys are running away from death and choosing to stay in our world by solving detective cases, [which] helps those around them.
What drew you to the character you play?
Niko is incredibly pure: she doesn’t understand sarcasm, everything she says is how she feels, and what she sees in this world is rainbows and butterflies. When I read the script, her essence really reminded me of my younger sister, and I was able to channel that for my audition.
She has Harajuku-esque style, watches anime and has elements that are very significant in Japanese culture. It’s not a stereotype—it’s part of that lifestyle and I was honoured to showcase that culture [on] a global landscape.
How involved were you in developing her costumes, and how did that collaboration impact the storytelling?
[Costume designer] Kelli Dunsmore did all of our costuming and was so intentional with what she brought. I said to her that I loved where she was going [with the Harajuku style] and that I would love for the look to feel more grounded. Because Niko’s [personality] was already larger than life, I didn’t want her costume to [overwhelm] her.
We found a beautiful way to navigate [her journey] through colour: bright shades when we’re first introduced to her, pink when she’s feeling love-y, blue when she’s sad and white during transformative moments.
Until recently, Asian characters have often been portrayed as one-dimensional. Were there any Asian characters who inspired you when building this character?
[When I was younger], seeing someone on TV that looked like me was huge, and I was already finding ways where I could be on shows like these.
Grey’ Anatomy and Glee were very formative television shows in my life, with diverse casts right before the diversity conversation came into play. I connected with Sandra Oh’s character, Cristina Yang [in the former], on such a deep level. It never really delved in her Korean background—she was this layered, flawed yet brilliant person. And whenever I think about [the concept of] bullying, Jenna Ushkowitz as Tina Cohen Chang [in the latter] comes to mind—from then I started to realise the impact and effect of watching a character that looks like you on screen.
How do you like to develop a character and get into that headspace on set?
Niko is someone that’s so not me: she’s carefree, spirited and wears a lot of colour [laughs]. It really felt like I got to play, because it changed how I walked, how I talked, and the way that I [thought to tell] our story. Having to play a character so far removed, yet still had these elements that I found a way to relate to, felt like an actor’s playground.
What was it like working on such a big production, and did you feel supported as one of many young actors on set?
It was my dream to get to work on a production of that size—every day was a “pinch me” moment. Every morning, I would wake up—however early the call time was—and just be happy that I got to work. I would go home feeling so grateful that this was my job. The wonderful thing about a production at scale is the quality of work everyone in their significant departments is incredible to witness.
What was the biggest challenge you overcame on set?
The biggest challenge was learning how to advocate for myself. A production of that scales means that there are so many moving parts, and if you speak up for yourself, you don’t get hurt. It’s saying things like “I don’t think my character would say this” or “I don’t feel comfortable doing this.”
I’m a person who tends to be very independent, but being surrounded by people on the show, for whom this was also their first acting experience, I got to a place where I felt confident—I don’t think I could’ve done that before.
What’s next for you?
I’m really interested in producing and directing more. I want to start building that muscle. I love being an actor, but I also think right now, in this current landscape, if you have something to say [through film], you should.
Amalissa Hall was the style writer at Tatler Hong Kong. Primarily focused on writing digital articles, she covers news, tracks trends and interviews experts from the fashion, beauty and wellness industries, as well as entertainment spheres. Interview highlights include Formula One driver Alex Albon, award-winning costume designer Jany Temime and prolific make-up artist Lisa Eldridge.
She has also produced print stories featuring make-up artists, perfumiers and other upcoming figures discussing Asian representation on social media, sharing industry insight and trends as well as explaining new approaches to wellness in Hong Kong.
