Anna Sawai has made history, becoming the first actress of Asian descent to win Best Actress in a Drama Series at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards tonight. Sawai won for her portrayal of noblewoman Toda Mariko in Shōgun, the FX remake of the 1980 NBC miniseries adapted from James Clavell’s best-selling novel set in feudal Japan.
During her acceptance speech, a tearful Sawai thanked her mother, who she brought to the ceremony, saying, “Mom, I love you. You are the reason I’m here. You showed me stoicism, and that’s how I was able to portray Mariko.” She added, “This is to all the women who expect nothing and continue to be an example for everyone.”
Shōgun was nominated for a total of 25 Emmy nominations. In addition to Sawai’s win, the series took home many of the night’s biggest prizes in the drama category, including lead actor for Hiroyuki Sanada, outstanding director for Frederick E.O. Toye, and outstanding series. Shōgun had already broken records before tonight’s ceremony even aired, winning 14 Creative Arts Emmys, the most Emmys ever for one season of a series. Sawai was in a tough category, up against Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon for The Morning Show, Carrie Coon for The Gilded Age, Maya Erskine for Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and Imelda Staunton for The Crown.
“During shooting, I remember feeling unsure about myself, wondering whether I had given enough to the character, because she was so beautifully written,” Sawai said in her recent W cover story. “Even after we wrapped, I wasn’t sure if I had done enough. And when I finally watched Shōgun, I could see all the things that I wished I could fix—not that I know how to fix them.” She clearly didn’t need to fix anything, however. The series, marked by an impeccable attention to detail in recreating the feudal Japanese period, has already been renewed for two more seasons.
The Emmy was the first nomination for the 32-year-old Sawai, who landed her first acting role at age 10. She first made a name for herself in Japan as one of the lead vocalists of the girl group Faky, performing from 2013 to 2018. She just reprised her role as Naomi on season two of Apple TV+’s Pachinko, an adaptation of the 2017 best-selling novel by Min Jin Lee, and will soon be back at work for the second installment of the popular Godzilla spin-off Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.
