FX’s historical drama Shōgun entered the Primetime Emmys with a bang, having already broken the record for most wins in a single season at the Creative Arts Emmys. It continued its winning streak, extending its record to a staggering 18 total wins.
During the ceremony, Executive Producer Justin Marks expressed his gratitude, saying, “You guys greenlit a very expensive, subtitled, Japanese period piece whose central climax revolves around a poetry competition. I have no idea why you did that, but thank you for your faith in this incredible team.”
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The series ruled the main acting categories, with Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai winning Best Lead Actor and Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series, respectively. These wins were particularly significant as Sanada and Sawai became the first Japanese actors to win in their respective categories.
Sanada, who also served as a producer on the show, shared his thoughts on the importance of authenticity in bringing the story to life. “This story is fictional entertainment, based on a true story and inspired by history. To make the story and character believable, we needed to make authentic details,” he explained.
Sawai, in a moving acceptance speech, spoke about the impact of her character, Lady Mariko, and the positive response she received from audiences, particularly Japanese women. “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,” she shared.
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The 75th Primetime Emmy Awards was a night of firsts and records for Shōgun. The show’s 18 Emmy wins shattered the previous record held by HBO’s 2008 miniseries “John Adams,” which won 13 awards.
As Hiroyuki Sanada eloquently put it during his acceptance speech, “Shōgun taught me that when people work together, we can make miracles. We can create a better future together.”
