Anna Sawai becomes first Asian actress to win Emmy for best drama actress in Shogun

Anna Sawai scripted history at the 2024 Emmys, winning Best Drama Actress for her role as Lady Mariko in Shogun. This victory marks a milestone as she became the first actress of Asian descent to win in the lead actress category for a drama series at the Emmys.

Sawai, visibly emotional, joked, “I was crying before my name was even announced. I’m a mess today,” as she accepted the award. She expressed her gratitude to the Academy for nominating her alongside stars she grew up admiring, such as Jennifer Aniston, Carrie Coon, and Reese Witherspoon.

In her heartfelt speech, Sawai thanked the FX team and co-creators Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo for believing in Shogun and giving her the "role of a lifetime." She gave a special shout-out to her co-star Hiroyuki Sanada, who also won Best Drama Actor, making him the second actor of Asian descent and the first Japanese performer to win the award. “He’s opened doors and continues to open doors for people like me,” she said.

Sawai wrapped up her speech with a powerful message to women: “This is for all the women who expect nothing and continue to be an example to everyone.”

Shogun, which led the Emmys with 25 nominations, has been a major moment for Asian representation in TV. Following the success of Squid Game, Shogun became the second majority non-English-language series nominated for Best Drama. The show’s Japanese cast members, including Tadanobu Asano and Takehiro Hira, also earned first-time nominations, setting new milestones for Japanese representation at the Emmys.

The series took nearly a decade to bring to life, but its impact on both Asian representation and international television is already monumental.