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Veteran actor Ryuuya Uekawa to star in Fuji TV's new drama series "The Foolish Swan"!

It was announced on the 14th that veteran actor Ryuuya Uekawa (42) will take on his first leading role in a commercial TV drama with Fuji TV's upcoming October series "The Foolish Swan ~ Love on a 30,000 Yen Allowance" (tentative title, airs Tuesdays at 10 PM). Having been in the acting business for 13 years since gaining fame through NHK's "Son of the Land," Uekawa expressed enthusiasm about this "first" opportunity, saying he's glad to still be experiencing "firsts" in his career and hopes to portray an unusual salaryman character convincingly.

Following his portrayal of Yamana Ichiyo in last year's NHK Taiga drama "Crossing the Heaven's Way" and his role as a gay school doctor in the current Fuji TV series "Boys Over Flowers," Uekawa has received much acclaim for his versatile performances.

In this landmark debut drama, Uekawa will play Suwano Daisuke, a 40-year-old salaryman whose wife was once a strong-willed saleswoman at the same company, who now keeps him under tight control. With their daughter preparing for exams, his monthly allowance has been cut down to 30,000 yen.

Yasuaki Yoshida, producer from Kansai Television, explained why they chose Uekawa: "His restrained passion moved me. It perfectly matches the image of 'a 40-year-old man struggling like a swan underwater, yet moving forward without looking back.'"

Having shown talent in theater during his student days, dropping out of Chuo University's economics department, and coming from the theater group "Caramelbox," Uekawa has never experienced life as a salaryman. He admitted, "To me, the world of salarymen is quite distant. While viewers might find it unremarkable, I see it as an extraordinary challenge."

Also starring in the series are Misako Tanaka (47) as Daisuke's wife Masachika, Kengo Shimomura (24) as Kawase, the IT company president who moves into the same building as Daisuke's company, and Ichiro Katagiri (30) as Kamo, the acting manager of the coffee shop in the same building. How will Uekawa portray this 40-year-old man receiving only 30,000 yen monthly allowance, who also has lingering feelings for his former high school crush turned company secretary (casting not finalized yet)? The drama is sure to resonate with many "father-level" viewers.