Anna Sawai’s awards

Anna Sawai is a rising Japanese actress and singer, born on June 11, 1992, in Wellington, New Zealand. In the past few years, she has made a name for herself in the global entertainment industry. After her performance in Shogun, she became a top contender in the awards season.

Anna Sawai started her acting career at a young age and worked on many successful projects. She has achievements in both the acting and the music industry. She has received praise from critics and audiences for her recent performances and has gained popularity by receiving many awards and nominations.

Anna Sawai’s Awards

Following the international acclaim of Pachinko and Shogun, Anna Sawai has received many nominations and won many awards for her acting. In September 2024, she won the award for Best Actress in the Primetime Emmy Awards, for Shogun. She became the first Asian actor to win in this category at the Emmys. In her acceptance speech, she expressed her gratitude to the team of Shogun and paid tribute to her mother. She thanked the creators for believing in her and giving her the role of a lifetime.

In January 2025, Sawai won her first Golden Globe Award in the Best Actor - Female category for Shogun. In her speech, she said, “Thank you to our incredible writers. Without a good script, it’s impossible to give a performance to our fullest potential. Thank you to everyone else. I’m going to thank you later!” The show won a total of 4 Golden Globes that night.

Let’s take a look at the awards Anna Sawai has won for her acting so far.

Anna Sawai’s Career

At the age of 11, Anna Sawai began her acting career in 2004, playing a main role in the musical Annie. She made her film debut with the film Ninja Assassin in 2009. She became popular in Japan after joining the girl group Faky as the main vocalist in 2013. She left the group in 2018 as she wanted to focus on her acting career. In 2019, she appeared in the BBC crime thriller show Giri/Haji. The show was praised by the critics.

In 2022, she joined the cast of Pachinko as a lead, playing Naomi alongside Lee Min-ho. The show is based on the novel of the same name and currently has 2 seasons. The show gained popularity and critical acclaim. She has also worked in Fast & Furious 9 (2021) and Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (2023-Present). In 2024, she appeared in the FX historical show Shogun as the female lead, Lady Mariko. She gained international popularity through this show and was praised for her performance. She won a Primetime Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award for her acting in Shogun.