Shogun’s Anna Sawai makes history by winning an Emmy: ‘I cried before they announced my name’

Japanese actress Anna Sawai now has the distinction of being the first actress of Asian descent to win a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.

The historic moment took place during the 76th Annual Ceremony at the Peacock Theatre in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday, where Sawai took the big win in the category for her performance in the FX on Hulu series Shōgun.

Looking stunning in a red dress and with her long black hair pulled back to protect it from her face, the actress wiped away tears of joy as she made her way to the stage to accept her trophy.

“I was crying before my name was announced,” Sawai, 32, said as she took the podium. “I’m a mess today.”

The Wellington, New Zealand native, who also grew up in Japan, plays Toda Mariko in the historical drama, who is an intelligent, high-born woman with a strong loyalty to Toranaga as she serves as a translator between Toranaga and Blackthorne.

“Thank you Justin (Marks) and Rachael (Kondo) for believing in me and giving me this once-in-a-lifetime role,” Sawai, 32, continued as she shared her gratitude.

“Thank you to each and every member of the cast and crew, led by Hiro (Sanada),” the actress continued. “You have truly opened doors and continue to open them for people like me. Thank you so much.”

He would end his acceptance speech with a gesture of respect towards his mother.

“Lastly, thank you to my team and thank you to my family. Mom, I love you, you’re the reason I’m here. You showed me stoicism and that’s how I was able to portray (Toda) Mariko,” Sawai shared as more tears fell.

She concluded: “This is for all the women who do not expect anything and continue to be an example for everyone. Thank you very much.”

Shōgun, which is based on the novel of the same name by James Clavell, was created by Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks and consists of 10 episodes that aired on FX on Hulu from February 27 to April 23.

Due to its initial success and widespread acclaim for the show’s direction, writing, visuals, production values, source material, and performances by its cast, a second and third season are now in development.

In addition to making history, Sawai also became the first Japanese-language series to win a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series, on its way to earning 18 of its 25 Emmy nominations.

Sawai rose to fame in Japan as one of the main vocalists of the girl group Faky from 2013 to 2018.

She would return to acting with supporting roles in the Japanese mystery series Colors (2018) and the British crime thriller series Giri/Haji (2019).

Her international breakthrough came with Elle’s role in F9 (2021), the ninth installment of the Fast and Furious film franchise.

She gained further recognition for her roles in the Apple TV+ drama series Pachinko (2022–present), the MonsterVerse series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (2023–present), and for her portrayal of Mariko in the FX historical drama series Shōgun (2024).