Shogun actress Anna Sawai makes history at Emmy Awards 2024

Japanese star becomes first woman of Asian descent to win Emmy for best actress in a drama

Japanese actress Anna Sawai won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role in Shogun. AP

Anna Sawai made history at the 2024 Emmy Awards by becoming the first woman of Asian descent to be crowned best actress in a drama series.

The Japanese actress collected the award for her role as Toda Mariko in Shogun. She is only the second actress of Asian descent to compete in the category after Sandra Oh, who was nominated four times for Killing Eve but never won.

“I was crying before my name was announced, I'm a mess,” Sawai said after taking to the stage at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles. She then emotionally thanked the Shogun team, as well as her mother.

“Thank you to my team and thank you to my family – Mum, I love you. You are the reason I'm here,” the Japanese actress said. “You showed me stoicism and that's how I was able to portray Mariko. This is to all the women who expect nothing and continue to be an example for everyone. Thank you so much.”

Sawai’s win came minutes after her co-star Hiroyuki Sanada was named best actor in a drama series. Sanada also made history by becoming the first Japanese actor to win the award. He is also the second person of Asian descent to win in the lead drama actor category after Lee Jung-jae was awarded in 2022 for his role in Squid Game.

Shogun has had a record-breaking run at the Emmy Awards this year. Even before the prime-time awards ceremony, the show won 14 awards at the Creative Arts Emmys last week, setting a record for the most Emmy awards for a single season of a television series. The show bolstered its wins with several more wins, including the top prize for outstanding drama series. It became the first non-English-language original series to win the award.