Camerimage: Why ‘Shogun’ Star Hiroyuki Sanada Isn’t Ruling Out Return of Anna Sawai’s Lady Mariko for Season 2

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As a connoisseur of samurai dramas and a veteran actor with a rich career spanning decades, I must say that the success of Shogun has brought immense joy to my heart. It feels like a dream come true, as I’ve always wanted to bring the authentic beauty and depth of Japanese period dramas to the world stage.

Hiroyuki Sanada, the esteemed Japanese actor, has been on a triumphant tour for his role in Shogun, and it recently took him to Toruń, Poland. This week, he was honored with the Camerimage Film Festival’s first-ever award for exceptional television series performance for his Emmy-winning role in Disney and FX’s popular samurai series.

This yearly Polish film festival, highly acclaimed in the industry, has traditionally emphasized cinematography but now also acknowledges other crucial aspects of visual storytelling. This year’s event attracted notables such as multiple Oscar winner Alfonso Cuarón, esteemed director of photography Ed Lachman (honored for lifetime achievement), and actress Cate Blanchett, who leads the competition jury.

During their encounter at Camerimage, The Hollywood Reporter had a quick conversation with Sanada at Torun’s luxurious Hotel Bulwar, which overlooks the Vistula River.

How has your trip to Camerimage been so far? 

For the first time, I find myself in Poland. Over the years, numerous filmmakers and cinematographers had shared tales of this festival with me. When they contacted me to offer the debut award, I was astonished and exclaimed, “Wow!” Upon discovering Toruń’s beauty through research, I felt truly honored. My film, Shogun, is a tale about translation, and it’s remarkable that our work has transcended borders here in Poland.

After devoting five decades to realizing the dream of creating Shogun, you’ve asked about my motivation moving forward and what my next steps are. What inspires me now, and what am I working on?

Continue pressing forward, much like an actor follows his intuition. I’ve spent 40 years performing in Japan and another 20 in Hollywood, pouring all that experience into the production of Shogun. However, as a producer, this was my initial venture, marking the start of a fresh chapter for me. My upcoming goal is to seek out quality projects and share more of our Japanese narratives, talent, and production teams with the global audience. We’ve established a bridge through Shogun, now it’s about strengthening and expanding that bridge further.

In your own words, you’ve mentioned that Lord Toranaga, who is modeled after the actual historical figure Tokugawa Ieyasu, has been a constant inspiration in your personal life, well before this project began. As we delve into the making of Season 2, are there particular aspects of his later years that you look forward to bringing to life on screen?

Indeed, the series is titled “Shogun,” however, it hasn’t yet shown the character ascending to the position of Shogun, correct? This is something that many fans eagerly anticipate. In Japan, numerous films and shows have depicted Ieyasu’s life, but our production offers a unique, slightly fictionalized perspective, which I find intriguing. As they pen the initial drafts of the scripts, I can hardly wait to delve into them. We have an exceptionally gifted team at work. When we were crafting season one, everything was novel, blending Japanese and Hollywood actors and crew to create this fusion series. Now that we’ve established our processes and worked together, I’m excited to witness how much more we can achieve, aiming for an even more remarkable outcome.

Warning: Spoilers ahead! The debut season of Shogun has catapulted several of its cast members into stardom. Anna Sawai, who portrays Princess Mariko, is now a sought-after talent following her captivating performance. Tadanobu Asano, who was already well-known within and beyond Japan, gained even more admirers with his role as Yabushige. Unfortunately, their characters met their end in season one. Could there be possibilities for them to reappear in season two, perhaps through flashbacks or prequel episodes?

Indeed, it’s quite a disappointment not seeing Mariko, Yabushige, or Hiromatsu anymore. The charm they brought to the story is truly missed. In a recent interview, actor Tokuma Nishioka, who played Hiromatsu, hinted that both Yabushige and himself might return – though as zombies! [ chuckles ] It’s all very intriguing, but I can’t say for sure how this will unfold. Perhaps as spirits, flashbacks, or even in the dreams of another character? Only time will tell!

Was the first season filmed in British Columbia? Are there plans to film any upcoming episodes in Japan?

Initially, our intention was to film portions of season one in Japan, but due to the global pandemic, we had to abandon that plan. Now, we’re contemplating if we can shoot some parts of season two there, if it’s feasible. However, we’re uncertain about the exact proportion. Filming in Vancouver has been fantastic, but finding a sprawling location in Japan without modern structures in sight is quite challenging for a grand production like ours. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we can manage to film at least some scenes in Japan. We’re making every effort to make it happen.

What kind of impact do you think Shogun‘s success has had on the Japanese entertainment industry? 

Well, I’ve had a lot of Japanese filmmakers and actors reach out to say thank you for introducing our story and culture to the world in an authentic way. After the Emmys, I think there could be a bit of a samurai boom coming. I hope the show will help create a new generation of fans of samurai dramas and movies. I want this genre to continue. So I hope our younger Japanese actors or crew will have the support to learn how to tell authentic samurai stories. That’s my biggest hope. 

In that vein, I wanted to ask if you could make a few recommendations for fans. The well of samurai film history in Japan is incredibly deep. Shogun fans have at least a year or two before season two can possibly be ready, so could you recommend a couple of your favorite samurai films for them to check out in the meantime? I always recommend your film with Yoji Yamada, The Twilight Samurai (2002). I love that film, and it shows such a different side of you.

Oh, thank you! That’s the very movie I had in mind! [Laughs.] It was my final samurai film shot in Japan, and it’s heartening to know that it continues to resonate. Truthfully, this is a difficult question! Naturally, all of Akira Kurosawa’s films, Kihachi Okamoto’s masterpieces, and I hold a particular fondness for the black-and-white era samurai movies. It’s hard to pick just one, but perhaps Masaki Kobayashi’s “Harakiri” (known as “Seppuku” in Japanese) could serve as a good starting point.

Do you revisit those classics much yourself these days? 

At times, I too find myself drawn back to the captivating world of “Shogun”. It’s not about imitation, but rather learning from what not to do. When an idea strikes me, I often revisit Kurosawa’s masterpieces to see if they’ve tackled a similar concept. This comparison helps me gauge the uniqueness of my own ideas. “Shogun” is deeply ingrained in me, but I strive to carve out my own path.

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2024-11-22 23:25