Aoi Miyazaki and Masato Sakai in movie Tsure ga Utsu ni Narimashite

Aoi Miyazaki (25) and Masato Sakai (37) will co-star in a movie version of "Tsure ga Utsu ni Narimashite," directed by Kiyoshi Sasabe. The two will play a married couple, bringing them together on screen for the first time since the 2008 taiga drama "Atsuhime," where they also played husband and wife.

"Tsure ga Utsu ni Narimashite" is based on a manga series by Tenten Hosokawa (41) that has sold over 600,000 copies. The story humorously retells Hosokawa's own experiences with her husband, who suddenly fell into depression. The couple battled the illness for a year and a half before the husband recovered. In 2009, NHK adapted it as a 3-part miniseries, starring Norika Fujiwara and comedian Taizo Harada.

In the movie version, Miyazaki plays the lead as manga artist Haruko Takazaki, modeled after Hosokawa. Sakai plays the husband Mikio, who fights the depression over the span of three years, helped by a pet iguana. Haruko's parents will be played by Kimiko Yo (54) and Ren Osugi (59).

Filming started on January 9 and is expected to finish in early February. The theatrical release is planned for fall of this year.

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