‘Shogun’ Star Anna Sawai Becomes First Actor of Asian Descent to Win Drama Actress Emmy

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As a gamer who has been following the TV industry for quite some time now, I must say, witnessing Anna Sawai‘s historic win at this year’s Emmys was nothing short of inspirational. Her emotional speech, her gratitude towards the Academy, and her heartfelt appreciation for the entire cast and crew resonated with me deeply.

Anna Sawai became a historical figure as she clinched the award for outstanding drama actress at the 2024 Emmys, held on Sunday evening, for her role in Shogun.

Sawai was put forward for consideration, standing alongside Jennifer Aniston (from ‘The Morning Show’), Carrie Coon (‘The Gilded Age’), Maya Erskine (‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’), Imelda Staunton (‘The Crown’) and Reese Witherspoon (‘The Morning Show’).

With her initial Emmy victory, Sawai made history as the inaugural actress of Asian origin to be honored in the leading actress in a dramatic series category at the Emmys.

In a noticeably emotional manner, Sawai joked, “I was already shedding tears when they called out my name. Today, I’m just a bundle of nerves.

She kicked off her speech expressing gratitude towards the Academy for recognizing her among individuals she “admired and cherished while growing up.

She expressed gratitude towards the FX team for having faith in our narrative, and acknowledged Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo for bestowing upon her an unforgettable character – Lady Mariko.

I’d like to express my gratitude to each and every member of the crew and cast, particularly Hiro Sanada who has been instrumental in providing opportunities for individuals such as myself,” he stated. Previously, Sanada garnered an Emmy award for his role in ‘Shogun,’ making him the second actor of Asian descent (following Lee Jung-jae from ‘Squid Game’) and the first Japanese performer to win the best drama actor Emmy.

She concluded her speech by acknowledging all the women who strive for nothing yet serve as an inspiration to everyone.

In her past, the actress playing Lady Mariko on the FX show has been honored with a TCA Award. This recognition was given for exceptional performance in a drama, outshining all other male and female actors in the category.

Before the performance, “Shogun” was at the forefront among the Emmy nominees, earning a total of 25 nominations. Among these were the prestigious categories of ‘Best Drama Series’ and several others. In doing so, it broke numerous records as no other show across any category received more nominations.

Apart from Sawai receiving a nomination for best actress in a drama series, the show Shogun also gained supporting dramatic actor nominations for Tadanobu Asano, who portrays samurai Kashigi Yabushige, and Takehiro Hira for his performance as Ishido Kazunari. Additionally, Néstor Carbonelle was recognized with a nomination for guest actor in a drama series for his role as Rodrigues.

The long-awaited television show, spanning close to a decade in development, signified a significant milestone for Asian representation and non-English productions. After the global success of Netflix’s 2022 Korean series “Squid Game,” “Shogun” becomes the second predominantly non-English series to be nominated in the exceptional drama series category. Each member of the Japanese cast, recognized for their work in this series, is a first-time nominee individually, and many are also the inaugural Japanese nominees in their respective Emmy categories.

The creators of Shogun, Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo, disclosed back in May that they have plans for an additional two seasons.

The 2024 Emmys aired live from L.A.’s Peacock Theater on ABC. Eugene and Dan Levy hosted.

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2024-09-16 06:25