Who Is Anna Sawai? 32-Year-Old Becomes First Asian Woman To Win Lead Drama Emmy For Shogun

At the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards, Anna Sawai made history by becoming the first actor of Asian descent to win the Emmy for Best Actress in a Drama.

She received the accolade for her portrayal of Lady Mariko in Shogun. Sawai faced tough competition from fellow nominees, including Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon (The Morning Show), Carrie Coon (The Gilded Age), Maya Erskine (Mr and Mrs Smith), and Imelda Staunton (The Crown). We breakdown her early life and career highlights:

Anna Sawai’s Early Life

Sawai’s early years were defined by music and international travel. Born in Wellington, New Zealand, in 1992, her family relocated frequently due to her father’s job. She spent parts of her childhood in Hong Kong, the Philippines, and eventually Japan at age 10. Her mother, a piano teacher, taught her music from the age of three, which laid the groundwork for her future career.

At 11, Sawai debuted on stage as the lead in Annie in Tokyo. She made her Hollywood debut at 16 in Ninja Assassin, a martial arts film that tells the story of Raizo (Rain), an orphan trained by the Ozunu Clan to become a ninja assassin. Sawai portrayed Kiriko, a female ninja who opposes the clan’s unethical ways and shares a romantic connection with Raizo. Despite her desire to escape the clan’s grip, Kiriko is ultimately captured and killed, leaving Raizo to question his loyalty.

Passion For Music

In 2012, Sawai was introduced as part of the Avex Trax girl group ARA (Avex Rising Angels), which released one single before disbanding in 2013. She soon reappeared in the music scene as a lead vocalist for the girl group Faky under Rhythm Zone. During her time with Faky, Sawai explored various solo endeavors, including music video appearances and voice acting.

By late 2018, Sawai decided to fully dedicate herself to acting, parting ways with Faky on good terms. She disclosed in an interview on The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast that she had once considered auditioning for the role of Katana in Suicide Squad (2016) but ultimately had to pass due to her commitments with Faky.

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Acting Career Revival

Sawai returned to acting in 2019 with a role in the British crime series Giri/Haji, where she played Eiko, the daughter of a Yakuza boss and love interest of Yuto, a fugitive thought to be dead. The series follows Kenzo Mori (Takehiro Hira), a Tokyo detective searching for his brother Yuto (Yosuke Kubozuka), the prime suspect in a Yakuza-related murder.

Later that year, Sawai secured a role in F9: The Fast Saga, the ninth film in the Fast and Furious franchise. She portrayed Elle Lue, a key character linked to a device capable of controlling all weaponized computer systems globally, created by her late parents.

Streaming Success

Sawai’s first major streaming role came with the Apple TV+ series Pachinko in 2022. Based on Min Jin Lee’s novel, the show spans multiple generations of a Korean family. Sawai plays Naomi, a Harvard graduate working in the Tokyo office of Solomon Baek’s (Jin Ha) finance company.

Initially at odds with Solomon due to his swift rise in the company, Naomi eventually realizes they share common struggles as marginalized individuals. The pair navigates a complex relationship as they attempt to succeed in a challenging environment.

In 2023, Sawai took on the lead role in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters on Apple TV+, portraying Cate Randa, a schoolteacher grappling with PTSD following Godzilla’s reappearance in San Francisco on G-Day.

Breakthrough in Shōgun

In 2021, Sawai was cast in a lead role in the FX period drama Shōgun, alongside Hiroyuki Sanada and Cosmo Jarvis. The series, adapted from James Clavell’s 1975 novel, follows the story of John Blackthorne (played by Jarvis), an English sailor who becomes entangled in Japanese politics after washing ashore in Japan.