Shogun producer and star Hiroyuki Sanada is still in disbelief over the show’s success.
The Japanese period drama has already won 14 Emmys at the Creative Arts Emmys — the most in a single season of any series, and that’s before the main Emmy Awards ceremony on Sept. 15. Shogun broke the record previously set by a limited series in 2008 John Adams‘ 13 wins.
During Sunday’s telecast, Sanada is up for two 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 at the Emmys on Thursday, Sept. 12. “The team has already received the award. That’s incredible. It’s just that I got nominated for an Emmy — I’m so happy.”
Hiroyuki Sanada as Yoshii Toranaga’s master in the ‘Shogun’ scene.
Katie Yu /FX / Courtesy of FX via Everett Collection
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If Sanada wins the award for acting, he will be the first actor of Japanese descent to win in the category and only the second Asian actor ever, following Lee Jung-jae’s win for Squid game in 2022
“I couldn’t imagine things like this happening during filming,” said the producer/actor. – For me, it was gambling.
“Because the series has 70 percent Japanese dialogues and then subtitles,” explained Sanada. “Can people enjoy a story about feudal Japan in the 16th century? But surprisingly, we got a great reaction. And also this nomination. It’s like I’m in a dream of dreams.”
On Sunday, Shogun is also a contender in the following Drama categories: Outstanding Lead Actress, Outstanding Supporting Actor, Outstanding Director and Outstanding Screenplay.
Bear and Shogun Lead the 2024 Emmy nominations: See the full list
The FX series has already been renewed for two additional seasons, and Sanada shared where his character, modeled after the real-life shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, will go.
“We have real history so we know what’s going on [to Toranaga]”, he said. “We know what he does and how he dies. I would like to show his life—what he did to Japan and how he created a period of peace after the era of war. That’s an important message to me.”
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Emmy nominees Anna Sawai and Hiroyuki Sanada of ‘Shogun’ at MPTF’s 18th Annual Pre-Emmy Dinner at Century Park on September 14, 2024.
Kevin Mazur/Getty
But some unexpected twists may happen, considering the future seasons Shogun expand beyond its source material, James Clavell’s 1975 novel of the same name.
“We have great writers and there are no more novels, so they have freedom,” Sanada said of the creative team. “A mix 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.”
The 76th Primetime Emmy Awards, hosted by Dan Levy and Eugene Levy, will air live on Sunday, September 15 at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 AM PT on ABC.
Come back to PEOPLE for complete coverage of the Emmy Awards, and be sure to join PEOPLE and Entertainment Weekly’s Live Red Carpet beginning at 6:00 PM ET/3:00 PM PT.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education