Furi Nanase and Rokka Okada, the 12-year-old co-stars of Hirokazu Koreeda's coming-of-age drama "Look Back," spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about becoming close friends while filming the manga-artist rivalry story, despite arriving with very different backgrounds and levels of acting experience. The interview matters as a rare glimpse into how Koreeda, one of Japan's most celebrated directors, coaxes naturalistic performances from young, largely untrained actors, a hallmark of his acclaimed career.

Okada, a veteran of Japanese film and TV since infancy, was cast for her poise and ability to master the Akita dialect, while newcomer Nanase was chosen purely for her natural charisma. The pair, both 11 when filming began, bonded on set and turned heads together at "Look Back's" Venice premiere last week, appearing on best-dressed lists before giving their first ever interview to international press. The article also traces Koreeda's history of drawing standout child performances, including Yuya Yagira's record-setting Cannes best actor win for "Nobody Knows" (2004), as well as "Like Father, Like Son" (2013) and Palme d'Or winner "Shoplifters" (2018).