Japanese actress Anna Sawai has won the Emmy for best actress in a drama series for her role in the FX series “Shogun,” becoming the first actor of Asian descent to secure this accolade.
Her victory allowed her to outshine nominees such as Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon from Apple TV+’s “The Morning Show,” Carrie Coon from HBO’s “The Gilded Age,” Maya Erskine from Amazon’s “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” and Imelda Staunton from Netflix’s “The Crown.”
In her acceptance speech, the 32-year-old actress expressed gratitude toward the “Shogun” crew and dedicated a special thank you to her mother, her inspiration.
“Thank you, John Landgraf and the entire FX team, for believing in our story. Thank you, Justin and Rachel, for believing in me and giving me this once-in-a-lifetime role,” she said.
“Lastly, thank you to my team and my family. Mom, I love you; you are the reason I’m here. You taught me stoicism, which I portrayed in my role. This award is dedicated to all the women who expect nothing yet continue to inspire everyone,” Sawai concluded.
This award marked Sawai’s first Emmy nomination and win. She is also known for her roles in Apple TV+’s “Pachinko” and “Monarch,” the British crime drama “Giri/Haji,” and films like “F9” and “Ninja Assassin.”
“Shogun” received 25 Emmy nominations this year, making it the most-nominated series at the event.
Based on the novel by James Clavell, the series draws from historical events in Japan and features Sawai as Toda Mariko, a noblewoman integral to the unfolding civil war among Japan’s ruling regents.
Initially intended as a limited series, FX repositioned “Shogun” as a drama series for awards consideration in May, hinting at future seasons.
Shortly after, FX announced a partnership with the Clavell estate and creators Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo to develop two more seasons of the show.
During an appearance on PEOPLE in 10 in April, Sawai shared insights about the deep impact her role had on her and the difficulty she faced in moving on after the show ended.
“I thought that I had kind of let her go the moment that I wrapped because the next day, I had to move on to a different project, but when we started doing press for Shogun before its release, I saw how much I was still carrying because I couldn’t talk about certain scenes or the character without tearing up,” said Sawai.
In an interview with Vogue before the Emmys, the actress remarked, “After finishing Shogun, I wanted to give my mom a gift just to thank her for allowing me to follow the path that I’m on.”
“I bought her a Cartier Love ring. I didn’t get one for myself because it is a luxury; it was a lot, but I wanted to give the most important person in my life a gift,” she added.
