EXCLUSIVE: “The Devil’s Mouth” Star Nico Hiraga Opens Up About His Japanese Heritage and Underwater Training.

In an exclusive interview, The Devil’s Mouth star Nico Hiraga talked about the underwater training he underwent for the role and shared his thoughts on his Japanese heritage.

Q: Do you know where your ancestors are from?

Nico Hiraga: My mother is German and Danish; my pops is full Japanese. My pops was born in Seattle. My grandpa and grandma met in Colorado.

 

Q: Growing up, what aspects of Japanese culture were part of your home life?

NH: We’d always have the hashi (chopsticks) around the house. We had a lot of Japanese growing up. My pops makes the best miso soup out of anybody ever. If you’re ever in San Francisco, I would wholeheartedly tell you to stop by the Hiraga Clan house, get some miso. It’s so good,

 

Q: Are there moments in your life when you feel you are carrying on Japanese traditions or cultural values?

NH: I mean, it’s not so traditional, but I have a Japanese tattoo on my leg, but it’s not so traditional to have tattoos in Japan. But I do have a tattoo. I guess every time in the World Cup, rooting for Japan. You know, just any kind of little way I can show love to the culture and to the motherland, I’m all for it.

 

Q As someone of Japanese heritage, what are you most proud of?

NH: I’m most proud of my family coming into the States and creating a lovely family here. You know, they came from Japan, and they met in Colorado at an internment camp out there, and kind of fell in love and created a wonderful family who I’m very proud of and love so much, and I think just cherishing that. I think the most important thing is family, and the fact that we have a very large circle of family is great to me. I have 14 cousins, seven of them being on my dad’s side.

Q: This film has a lot of underwater scenes. Did you undergo any special breath-holding or free diving training similar to what the cast of Avatar did?

NH: Yeah. Copious amounts of water training. We had hours and hours and hours and hours and hours and hours at this really big pool where we learned different techniques for breath work. You know, stunt training, different things, how to move quicker underneath the water. You know, it’s a ton of stuff. Our trainers were amazing out there. It’s just such an unreal team of support. You know, you kind of felt safe at all times. They’d even teach you how to not freak out if stuff does go a little wary or a little hectic, you know. They give you techniques to not, because the more you move and get flustered, the more oxygen is gone, and you it’s so clear in the mind, and all that is- it was key. It was huge. So an amazing team, copious amounts of rehearsals and training for it, but it turned out I think pretty solid.

 

Q: My hometown has a shark mythology, and in Japan, there is actually an organization called the Shark Movie Society, and also we have an International Shark Movie Film Festival. Why do you think sharks continue to fascinate people around the world, including Japan?

NH: I think they fascinate people because you grow up hearing so many shark stories and hearing the danger around them, but I think they’re kind of misunderstood creatures. I think they’re just like any kind of underwater beautiful specimen, like just making it by. I know so many people and buddies of mine that are sketched out of them, but I’ve learned from actually a good friend of mine that sharks are very, misunderstood and actually quite friendly in different accounts, and I I think that’s um, I think personally that’s fascinating. I would love to swim with sharks one day; I would have to gather the courage to. But I’m not opposed to it, you know. So I think just kind of the unknown around them is fascinating.

Q: You once dreamed of becoming a professional skateboarder, but an injury led you to pursue acting instead. It’s interesting that many successful actors, including Tom Cruise and Charlize Theron, also had to let go of their original dreams before finding the careers that made them famous. Looking back, do you think that setback ultimately became a turning point in your life? Any advice for young people who have to give up their first dream?

NH: Well, I would never say that you have to give up your first dream, regardless of my injury that did make me pursue acting. I couldn’t skate for a year and a half, so I did everything in my time to get better so that I could continue to and become a better skateboarder. And all of my dreams of skateboarding have been fulfilled. So I feel incredibly grateful about that, and the fact that I get to continue to do it while on the journey of acting, I think, is very special and important to me. And I think it’s important for maybe the youth or people that are in similar boats to know, like, you don’t have to necessarily give up on something to pursue another, but you know, one open door can lead to many more. You know, and it’s important, I think, to not have tunnel vision towards one thing, which is what I did have towards skateboarding a lot, because it’s my passion, it’s my love, but being able to open it up in different routes and directions without skateboarding, I don’t think I would have gotten into acting.

 

The Devil’s Mouth is now streaming on Amazon Prime.