As a proud admirer of Japanese cinema and television, I have had the privilege of witnessing the remarkable journey of Hiroyuki Sanada throughout his illustrious career. Yet, nothing could have prepared me for the sheer emotion and pride I felt when he took the stage at this year’s Emmys to accept the award for Best Actor in a Drama series. The fact that it was for Shōgun made it even more special.
Hiroyuki Sanada not only made history by becoming the first Japanese actor to win an Emmy for Best Actor in a Drama, but he also touched fans’ hearts with his acceptance speech given in Japanese at the annual awards show. Although Sanada delivered his individual award speech in English, he returned to the stage later on in the evening, joining the cast, directors, and producers to celebrate Shogun winning Best Drama at the 2024 Emmys. Alongside Justin Marks, co-creator of Shogun (along with Rachel Kondo), the duo accepted the award, with their colleagues standing behind them. After Marks gave his speech, Sanada stepped up to the microphone and said, “Let me speak in Japanese for a moment.
With Justin Marks set to interpret, Sanada expressed, “We wish to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone on the crew, directors, and those who have carried forward our samurai era dramas so far.” After allowing a moment for Justin Marks to translate, Sanada resumed speaking:
In my humble opinion, the ardor and aspirations you’ve kindled have traversed vast seas and boundaries. A heartfelt thank you!
In 2024, Shogun left an unforgettable mark at the Emmy Awards, becoming the single-season television program with the most wins in Emmy history, taking home a total of 18 awards out of 24 nominations. Additionally, Anna Sawai made history as the first actress of Asian descent to win Lead Actress in a Drama category. During her heartfelt acceptance speech, Sawai was visibly emotional. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight after the ceremony, she explained that her emotion on stage stemmed from the shared achievement of making history at the awards alongside Hiroyuki Sanada.
Apart from being the first Japanese woman to claim victory, I had admired Sanada and aspired to follow in her footsteps. The realization that I might be inspiring the generations to come, or something equally profound, moved me deeply.
Fans React to Hiroyuki Sanada’s Acceptance Speech
Ever since Shōgun graced our screens on Hulu, cinephiles like myself sensed it was destined for Emmy glory. Yet, what transpired was beyond most of us – an unparalleled sweep of awards. The moment Hiroyuki Sanada stepped onto the stage to claim his award, I watched as Shōgun fans swarmed social media, pouring out their heartfelt reactions to his moving acceptance speech.
On social media, there was a lot of excitement about Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai being the first Japanese actors to win in their respective categories at awards shows. @oscarGosei wrote, ‘If any Japanese actor was going to be the first, it had to be Hiroyuki Sanada – he’s nothing short of a legend!’ Debates usually arise on social media about which show should win at award shows like the Emmys, but for the series Shōgun, opinions seem to be almost universally positive.
The Shogun series is available for streaming on Hulu at the moment. Currently, they are working on Seasons 2 and 3.
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2024-09-16 17:33