Fresh from her stunning performance in FX’s historical epic Shōgun as Toda Mariko, which catapulted her into the race, Anna Sawai sat down with Tom Hiddleston for Variety’s Actor on Actors segment. Experiencing the awards season rush and excitement for the first time, Sawai spoke about her onscreen character and her 2024 series.
Further, sharing her thoughts on portraying a character that resonates deeply with her heritage, Anna Sawai broke down in tears during the interview. Addressing the role that might take her career to new heights, Sawai further recalled the response she garnered from Japanese and Asian women in general.
Anna Sawai Got Emotional Talking About Her Journey with Shōgun
In the realm of historical dramas, only a few performances have captivated audiences as profoundly as Anna Sawai’s portrayal of Toda Mariko in the epic series, Shōgun. Stepping into the shoes of a complex character, the actress significantly delivered a deep understanding of Japanese history and culture.
Thereafter, her phenomenal performance in the 2024 series not only stole hearts but even catapulted Anna Sawai into the entertainment industry. Despite being an outsider in Hollywood, Sawai now rubs shoulders with A-listers and even appeared for an interview with MCU’s Tom Hiddleston for Variety’s Actor On Actors segment.
Anna Sawai gets emotional when sharing about the response to #Shogun: "Multiple young girls came up to me being like, 'This is the first time I’m seeing a real Japanese character that I can really relate to.'" #ActorsOnActors https://t.co/Y38z2OfkKd pic.twitter.com/BoWhBtDrUj
— Variety (@Variety) June 12, 2024
Discussing her role in Shōgun and her work experience, Anna Sawai was asked about the responses she received from fans and the Asian community at large. Getting emotional about the positive reviews and the heartfelt responses she received from Japanese women, Sawai shared her thoughts on representing Japanese culture accurately.
I’m trying not to get emotional. We were on the press tour in Washington, D.C., and we showed our first two episodes to a Japanese community. After the screening, multiple young girls came up to me being like, “This is the first time I’m seeing a real Japanese character that I can really relate to.”
They were getting emotional as well, because it was something that they had internalized — not being able to speak, having to behave — and they thought that’s the way that they should be.
Breaking down as she discussed how the mainstream media had defined Japanese people throughout history, Anna Sawai admitted garnering heartfelt responses from Japanese women, for finally breaking the stereotypes and redefining perceptions.
Anna Sawai Reflects on Shōgun’s Redefinition of Japanese Women
For Anna Sawai, the opportunity to delve into her Shōgun character‘s journey goes beyond mere acting; for it came as a chance to reclaim narratives and redefine the representation of Japanese women in mainstream media. Further, considering the positive reception of the show, and Sawai’s role, Shōgun might pave the way for more diverse portrayals of different cultures in entertainment, ushering in a new era of inclusivity and respect.
After sharing her emotional response to the positive reception of her character and the show, Anna Sawai went on to differentiate character depictions of Japanese women in Asia and in Western projects. Explaining how people from different cultures have been conditioned by Western media to feel sidelined, Sawai stated what Shōgun did differently, that led Japanese women to shower her with praise.
In Japan, we see characters like that; but in Western media, it was my first time reading a script that felt like she was not sidelined. We were seeing that vulnerability but also the strength within her.
We see her find her voice. I feel like if I had seen characters like Mariko on-screen growing up, that would’ve formed me in a different way. I wouldn’t have internalized all those expectations.
Breaking barriers and stereotypes with her show, Anna Sawai undoubtedly delivered a heartfelt portrayal of her character. After sharing her thoughts on Shōgun and her character, Sawai steered the conversation towards Tom Hiddleston’s Loki and drew a connection between Toda Mariko and the God of Mischief.
Shōgun is available on FX.
