ShōgunStar Hiroyuki Sanada on Breaking Emmys Record and Why Japanese Period Drama Was a 'Gamble' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Hiroyuki Sanada at the Gold House and Macro’s One House Toast to the Emmys event on Sept. 12, 2024.Photo:Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty

Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty

Shōgunproducer and star Hiroyuki Sanada is still in disbelief over the show’s success.

During Sunday’s telecast, Sanada is vying fortwo more awards: outstanding lead actor in a drama series for his role as Lord Yoshii Toranaga and outstanding drama series as a producer.

“I’m so happy to be nominated,” Sanada, 63, exclusively told PEOPLE at Gold House and Macro’s One House Toast to the Emmys event on Thursday, Sept. 12. “The crew already got the award. It’s amazing. It’s a lot. Just being nominated for an Emmy itself — I’m so happy.”

Hiroyuki Sanada as Lord Yoshii Toranaga in a ‘Shogun’ scene.Katie Yu /FX / Courtesy of FX via Everett Collection

Katie Yu /FX / Courtesy of FX via Everett Collection

If Sanada wins the acting award, he will be the first actor of Japanese descent to win in the category and only the second Asian actor ever, followingLee Jung-jae’s winforSquid Gamein 2022.

“I couldn’t have imagined these kinds of things happening during the shooting,” the producer/actor said. “For me, it was a gamble.”

“Because the show has 70 percent Japanese dialogue and then subtitles,” Sanada explained. “Can people enjoy a 1600s feudal Japan story? But surprisingly, we got a great reaction. And also this nomination. So it’s like I’m in a dream of dreams.”

On Sunday,Shōgunis also a contender in these drama categories: outstanding lead actress, outstanding supporting actor, outstanding directing and outstanding writing.

The FX series has already been renewed fortwo additional seasons, and Sanada shared where his character, modeled off real-life shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, will go.

“We have real history so we know what happens [to Toranaga],” he said. “We know what he does and how he dies. I’d love to show his life — what he did to Japan and how he created a peaceful era after the war era. That’s an important message to me.”

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Emmy nominees Anna Sawai and Hiroyuki Sanada of ‘Shogun’ attend MPTF’s 18th Annual Evening Before the Emmys at Century Park on Sept. 14, 2024.Kevin Mazur/Getty

Kevin Mazur/Getty

But some unexpected twists may come as well, given future seasons ofShōgunexpand past its source material, James Clavell’s 1975 novel of the same name.

“We have great writers and no more novels, so they have freedom,” Sanada said of the creative team. “A mixture of creation and real history. Of course it’s international entertainment so let’s see how we can create an original script and share it with the world.”

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source: people.com