Anna Sawai facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Anna Sawai
Sawai in 2024
Born	(1992-06-11) June 11, 1992 (age 33) Wellington, New Zealand
Alma mater	Sophia University
Occupation	Actress singer
Years active	2004–present

Anna Sawai (born June 11, 1992) is a talented Japanese actress and singer. She was born in New Zealand and moved to Japan when she was 10 years old. At just 11, Anna got her first acting role in a TV show called Annie in 2004. Later, she appeared in her first movie, Ninja Assassin, in 2009.

Anna became well-known in Japan as a lead singer for the girl group Faky from 2013 to 2018. After that, she returned to acting with a role in the British TV series Giri/Haji (2019). Her big break came with the Apple TV+ show Pachinko (2022–present). She also starred in the exciting series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (2023–present) and the historical drama Shōgun (2024). For her amazing work in Shōgun, she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. She was the first Japanese actress to win a Primetime Emmy Award. In 2024, Time magazine recognized her on its 100 Next list.

Anna Sawai's Early Life and Background

Anna Sawai was born on June 11, 1992, in Wellington, New Zealand. Her parents are from Japan. Her mother was a piano teacher, and her father worked for an electronics company. Anna started learning piano and singing from her mother when she was only three years old. Because of her father's job, her family moved a lot. They lived in Hong Kong and the Philippines before settling in Yokohama, Japan, when Anna was 10.

Anna speaks both English and Japanese very well. She lives in Tokyo, Japan.

Anna Sawai's Career Journey

Early Acting and Music with Faky (2004–2018)

Anna Sawai started her acting career at age 11 in 2004. She played the main character in a stage show of Annie in Tokyo. This show was also broadcast on Nippon TV. In 2006, Anna successfully auditioned for Avex Inc., a big entertainment company. This led to her getting a contract and training in music and dance.

She continued acting with a small role in the TV drama Our Love Song (2007). Then, she made her first Hollywood movie appearance in Ninja Assassin (2009). In this martial arts film, she played a young ninja named Kiriko.

While in high school, Anna kept taking vocal and dance lessons. She later went to Sophia University. During her time at university, she signed with Avex Trax record label. In March 2012, she sang the United States national anthem at the Tokyo Dome for a baseball game. A month later, Anna joined a girl group called ARA. They released one music video, "Make My Dreams Come True," but the group ended in early 2013.

In July 2013, Anna joined a new girl group called Faky as one of the main singers. They released their first song, "Better Without You," on July 29, 2013.

While with Faky, Anna also worked on solo projects. In 2015, she was the main actress in Elliott Yamin's music video for his song "Katy." She also sang on Yamato's song "Shining" in 2017. Later that year, Anna voiced a character named Angélique Noir in the video game Style Savvy: Styling Star. She also sang the main theme song for the game, "Girls Be Ambitious." In 2018, she acted in two episodes of the mystery series Colors. She also performed as a dancer in a stage show called The Book.

On November 16, 2018, Faky announced that Anna was leaving the group to focus on her acting career. Her last performance with Faky was on December 20, 2018.

Becoming a Star in Television (2019–Present)

In 2019, Anna Sawai played Eiko, the daughter of a Yakuza boss, in the British crime series Giri/Haji. The show was very popular when it first aired in October. That same year, Anna was cast as Elle Lue, a martial arts warrior, in F9. This was the ninth movie in the famous Fast & Furious series. After getting this role, Anna signed with WME, a big talent agency. F9 was filmed in 2019 and released on May 19, 2021. It earned a lot of money worldwide.

Since 2022, Anna has starred as Naomi in the Apple TV+ show Pachinko. This show is based on a popular novel. Naomi is a new character created just for the TV series. Pachinko started on March 25, 2022, and received great reviews. It was renewed for a second season the next month. The cast of Pachinko won an Independent Spirit Award. In June 2022, Anna was cast as Cate Randa, the main character in the MonsterVerse TV series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. This show is connected to the 2014 movie Godzilla. It premiered on Apple TV+ on November 17, 2023, and was also very well-received.

Anna Sawai with the cast and crew of Shōgun in 2024

In September 2021, Anna Sawai was chosen to play the main female role, Lady Mariko, in the FX series Shōgun. This show is based on a famous novel by James Clavell. Shōgun premiered in February 2024, and Anna's performance was highly praised. Critics said she was "thoroughly convincing and captivating" and that she "speaks volumes with every pained look." Many called her performance "revelatory" and a major achievement in her career.

In 2024, Anna won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role in Shōgun. This made her the first Japanese actress to win any Primetime Emmy. She also won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama in 2025. In 2025, Variety magazine called her performance in Shōgun one of the greatest TV performances of the 21st century.

In September 2024, Anna Sawai became a brand ambassador for the jewelry company Cartier. In December of the same year, WWD magazine gave her their first Fashion Newcomer Style Award. In February 2025, the fashion house Dior also named Anna a brand ambassador.

Filmography

Key

Denotes productions that have not yet been released

Movies

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref.
2009	Ninja Assassin	Kiriko
2021	F9	Elle Lue
2026	How to Rob a Bank		Filming

Television Shows

Music Videos

Video Games

Stage Performances

Awards and Recognitions

She was named one of Time’s Women of the Year for 2025.

See also

In Spanish: Anna Sawai para niños