Actress Kuriyama Chiaki is finally getting more attention on the small screen with her first drama starring role in her 13-year career as an actress.

The drama is called "Himitsu Chouhouin Erika" and will star Kuriyama as the protagonist, 'Erika', a very skilled former spy who used to work for a special agency inside Japan's Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office. One year ago, she decided to quit her dangerous job and settle down in an ordinary family atmosphere with her husband and his five-year-old son. Of course, she had to keep her past a secret from her family, but things are becoming complicated again, when her former boss asks her to help him with various 'civil cases'. That's when she begins to lead a double life as a wife/mother and a spy.

"Himitsu Chouhouin Erika" is described to be a thrilling mystery drama, with each episode revolving around a single case, but the series also doesn't miss out on various comedic situations.

Kuriyama commented, "It's a lot of fun to test out to what extend I can portray the difference of her two lives." After many eccentric roles, it's her first time acting as a devoted mother, yet she also has to express Erika's inner conflict of having to lie to her family. She's grateful to play such a role, but she's also anxious about the new challenge. "I haven't participated in a lot of stories that required me to put a big focus on the emotions and the inner conflicts, therefore I hope that I will be able pile up all those feelings and let everyone see them through this role."

As a spy she also has to change into several different disguises and tackle a couple of action scenes, but surprisingly she seems to have more difficulties with the latter. She said, "Trying out several disguises is probably going to be a whole lot of fun, but I just don't know if I will be able to do the action scenes right." Furthermore she revealed that, despite her cool image, she is a very family-oriented person, "I'm spending a lot of time with my family. There is a difference between my image and my actual self, so maybe that's why I'm already feeling so attached to the drama."

Sugimoto Tetta is going to play her boss, while Ide Takuya is going to support her as her assistant.

NTV is going to air the first episode of "Himitsu Chouhouin Erika" on October 6th. It will air every Thursday at 11:58 pm.

[gallery link="file"]

Source + Images: Oricon