Anna Sawai could play any role on this earth, or in space. Period pieces or far-future films—she is so talented that she can do anything. Shogun was our first time working together. It was also her first time starring in a samurai drama. The effort she put into creating her character, Lady Mariko, was incredible. She had to learn so many things so quickly: riding a horse, walking in a kimono, fighting with a naginata, and performing in both English and samurai-era Japanese, which we never use in modern life. She’d call me on the weekend about the next week’s dialogue, and we’d talk about the meaning and the pronunciation, the rhythm and tone. The script was always changing, but she’d memorize it perfectly, and perform it with such power. She brought a kind of peace to the set, bringing everyone together: the Western crew, the Japanese crew. She was so kind, and thoughtful, and she played her role with such grace. This September, she won an Emmy—the first Asian actor to win in her category. From here, she’ll just get bigger, and bigger. I can’t wait to watch.
Sanada is an Emmy-winning actor and producer