Anna Sawai, who won the Emmy for Best Actress in a Drama Series for her role in the FX period drama Shōgun, has been named in the Time100 Next list. The list, announced on Wednesday, “highlights 100 emerging leaders in business, entertainment, sports, politics, science, health and other fields.”
Sawai is the first Asian actor to win an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. In Shōgun, she plays Mariko Toda, a woman who “lived with dignity although being tossed about by fate,” according to Time.
Read more: ‘Shōgun’ Dominates Emmys, Shatters Records, and Makes History
Her co-star and the show’s producer, Hiroyuki Sanada, praised Sawai’s talent and dedication in the magazine: “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.”
Sanada went on to describe the incredible effort Sawai put into her role, which included “learning acting using Japanese language of the country’s Sengoku civil war period in a short time.” He added: “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.”
Read more: ‘Shōgun’ Star Anna Sawai Makes History as the First Japanese Actress to Win an Emmy
Shōgun, which depicts a power struggle in feudal Japan, won 18 Emmy Awards – the most ever for a single season of a television series.
