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Latest News: Anna Sawai Wins First Emmy Award for Shōgun
The FX historical drama Shōgun made plenty of Emmy Awards history, and so did lead actress Anna Sawai.
Sawai, 32, became the first Japanese actress to win an Emmy—for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her portrayal of Toda Mariko—on Sunday, one of 18 total for Shōgun, the series about the relationship between a shipwrecked English sailor and a Japanese daimyo. She beat out Jennifer Aniston, Carrie Coon, Maya Erskine, Imelda Staunton, and Reese Witherspoon.
Sawai thanked her mother in the audience for showing her the “stoicism” that allowed her to excel in the role. “This is to all the women, who expect nothing and continue to be an example to everyone,” Sawai said.
The 18 wins for the series are the most ever for one season of any television program. Lead actor Hiroyuki Sanada also won Sunday for his role.
Who Is Anna Sawai?
Japanese actor and singer Anna Sawai is best known for her Emmy-winning role as Toda Mariko on the historical drama series Shōgun. Born in New Zealand, Sawai relocated to Japan during her childhood and achieved fame there as a founder of the all-female music group FAKY. She has since transitioned to acting, and her notable roles include the 2021 action movie F9: The Fast Saga and the TV shows Pachinko and Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.
Quick Facts
FULL NAME: Anna Sawai
BORN: June 11, 1992
BIRTHPLACE: Wellington, New Zealand
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Gemini
Early Life
Anna Sawai was born on June 11, 1992, in the capital city of Wellington, New Zealand, to Japanese parents. Because of her father’s job with an electronics company, young Anna moved throughout her childhood, spending time among New Zealand, Hong Kong, and the Philippines before eventually settling in Japan.
Sawai was drawn to performing from the age of 7. She first dreamed of stardom after watching music videos of American pop star Britney Spears. Sawai learned to sing with the help of her mother, a trained opera vocalist. Young Anna developed an appreciation of film by watching the Tomb Raider movies starring Angelina Jolie. The franchise remains a favorite of hers.
Her mom’s singing lessons helped Sawai earn her first acting gig at age 11 as the titular orphan in a Japanese TV production of the musical Annie. Sawai was a teenager when she received her first movie role in the 2009 action spectacle Ninja Assassin.
FAKY
Despite her acting work in childhood, music remained a primary focus for Sawai. She commuted an hour away seven days a week to train with Avex, a competitive Japanese talent agency representing aspiring singers and dancers. Her dedication paid off when she garnered attention as a founder and vocalist of the J-pop group FAKY—an acronym for Five Ass-Kicking Youngsters—starting in 2013.
Sawai performed with the all-female singing ensemble for about five years but eventually felt “trapped” in terms of her career aspirations. Choosing to dedicate herself to acting, Sawai left the group in 2018. “I loved the girls, but I was not in control of my own career,” Sawai told actor Tom Hiddleston for a Variety interview. “Having experienced that and being able to audition for whatever I wanted to audition for [felt freeing].” She didn’t have to wait long to find out she made the correct choice.
Movies and TV Shows: F9 and Shōgun
Sawai earned her first major TV role in 2019 as a crime boss’ daughter across six episodes of the British drama Giri/Haji, now streaming internationally on Netflix. This was one of Sawai’s last projects booked through Avex, leaving her next steps uncertain.
Luckily, talent manager Jake Miller directly reached out to Sawai around this time after watching her performance in Ninja Assassin. Using his assistance, as well as her new connections from the United Kingdom, Sawai booked the part of Elle in the 2021 blockbuster F9: The Fast Saga, a sequel in the Fast & Furious movie franchise. It was her most star-studded project to date, as she joined actors Vin Diesel, John Cena, Charlize Theron, and rapper Ludacris on set. “I like to look badass, and so being able to do that on set was so amazing,” Sawai said in a behind-the-scenes interview. “Being a part of the Fast family is a dream come true.”
The action spectacle was a financial success, grossing more than $726 million worldwide, and gave Sawai more exposure than ever. However, the actor has since revealed she began to choose her roles carefully to avoid being typecast as an action star—especially given her Asian heritage. Her next project reflected this, as Sawai starred in the first season of the Apple TV+ family drama Pachinko in 2022. She stayed with the streaming network in 2023 for Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, in which humans battle Godzilla and other large creatures.
Sawai could now draw from both her physical and emotive acting abilities for her next series, a historical drama that catapulted her into a major TV star.
Emmy Nomination for Shōgun
In 2024, Sawai debuted as Toda Mariko on the FX historical drama Shōgun, about the complex relationship between a shipwrecked English sailor (played by Cosmo Jarvis) and Japanese daimyo (Hiroyuki Sanada) in the year 1600.
Based on the 1975 novel of the same name by James Clavell, the series has received widespread praise for its detailed recreation of feudal Japan. To make her portrayal of Mariko as authentic as possible, Sawai learned multiple skills such as calligraphy, sword fighting, archery, and horseback riding. “To be able to play someone who is so layered and who’s so broken and sensitive but also having that unbelievably strong core and finding her voice and really taking action—that meant a lot to me,” Sawai told Elle. “When I wore the kimono, it really felt like I was carrying myself differently.”
The transformation certainly didn’t go unnoticed. Sawai received a 2024 Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, one of 25 total for Shōgun. Sawai was named the winner at the ceremony, becoming the first Japanese actress to receive an Emmy, while the series won 18 Emmys total—a record for one season.
Because of the acclaim for Shōgun, FX and streaming service Hulu announced in May 2024 they had renewed the limited series for what will “likely be” two additional seasons. There is no timeline for future episodes.
Relationships and Personal Life
Sawai has never married and isn’t publicly known to have been in a relationship.
She is fluent in both English and Japanese and currently lives in Tokyo. Anna has an older sister, Reina, a former professional ballet dancer who has stopped performing due to injury. Reina has cited her younger sibling as her biggest supporter.
Net Worth
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Sawai’s total fortune is estimated at around $4 million as of June 2024.
Quotes
- I wanted to become like Britney Spears. I mean, I still do.
- I never believed in what people were saying in terms of positive feedback. I was always skeptical. And in a way I think it helped, because it permitted me to keep trying harder.
- Someone, when I was a teen, told me that people can work really hard if they see something that they’re aiming for, but it’s about whether or not you can work hard when you don’t have that goal.
- I love doing action, but I don’t want to be labeled as the “action actress.” I’m confident doing it, but I’m very selective, because I know that it’s easy for people to have this image of an Asian person doing action, and we are so much more than that.
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Tyler Piccotti joined the Biography.com staff as an Associate News Editor and is now the News and Culture Editor. He previously worked as a reporter and copy editor for a daily newspaper recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors. In his current role, he shares the true stories behind your favorite movies and TV shows and profiles rising musicians, actors, and athletes. When he's not working, you can find him at the nearest amusement park or movie theater and cheering on his favorite teams.
