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 (アンナ・サワイ, born June 11, 1992) is a talented Japanese actress and singer. She was born in New Zealand and moved to Japan with her family when she was 10 years old.

Anna got her first acting role at age 11. She played the main character in the 2004 TV show Annie. Later, she made her movie debut in the 2009 martial arts film Ninja Assassin.

Anna became well-known in Japan as a lead singer for the girl group Faky. She was part of the group from 2013 to 2018. After that, she returned to acting. She had a supporting role in the British crime series Giri/Haji (2019).

Her big international success came with the Apple TV+ show Pachinko (2022–present). She became even more famous for starring in the MonsterVerse series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (2023–present). She also starred in the historical drama Shōgun (2024). For her role in Shōgun, she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. This made her the first Japanese actress to win a Primetime Emmy Award. She also won a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. In 2024, Time magazine included her on its 100 Next list, which highlights rising stars.

Early Life and Background

Anna Sawai was born on June 11, 1992, in Wellington, New Zealand. Her parents were of Japanese descent. Her mother taught piano, and her father worked for an electronics company.

Anna started learning piano and singing from her mom at age 3. Her family moved often because of her dad's job. They lived in Hong Kong and the Philippines. When Anna was 10, they settled in Yokohama, Japan. Anna speaks both English and Japanese very well. She lives in Tokyo today.

Anna's Career Journey

Early Acting and Music with Faky (2004–2018)

Anna Sawai started acting at age 11 in 2004. She played the main role in a Tokyo stage show of Annie. This show was also broadcast on Nippon TV. In 2006, Anna successfully auditioned for a big entertainment company called Avex Inc.. She got a contract and trained at their music and dance school.

After this, Anna continued acting. She had a small role in the TV drama Our Love Song (2007). She then made her Hollywood movie debut in the martial arts film Ninja Assassin (2009). In this movie, she played Kiriko, a young ninja who goes against the rules.

Anna kept taking vocal and dance lessons through high school. She later went to Sophia University. While at university, she signed with the Avex Trax music label. In March 2012, she sang the United States national anthem at the Tokyo Dome. This was for the start of the 2012 Major League Baseball season.

A month later, Anna joined a girl group called ARA. They released one music video, "Make My Dreams Come True." The group broke up in early 2013. But in July that year, Anna joined a new girl group called Faky. She became one of their lead singers. Faky released their first song, "Better Without You," on July 29, 2013.

While in 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 song for the game, "Girls Be Ambitious." In 2018, she returned to acting with a role in the mystery series Colors.

On November 16, 2018, Faky announced that Anna was leaving the group. She wanted to focus on her acting career. She performed with Faky one last time on December 20.

Becoming a Star in Television (2019–2024)

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

Since 2022, Anna Sawai has played the main role of Naomi in the Apple TV+ show Pachinko. This show is based on a popular novel. Naomi is a new character made just for the TV series. The show started on March 25, 2022, and received great reviews. It was quickly renewed for a second season. The cast of Pachinko won an Independent Spirit Award together.

Sawai with the cast and crew of Shōgun in 2024

In June 2022, Anna was cast as Cate Randa. This is the main role in the MonsterVerse TV series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. The show is a spin-off from the 2014 movie Godzilla. It premiered on Apple TV+ on November 17, 2023, and was well-received by critics.

In September 2021, Anna Sawai was chosen for the main female role, Lady Mariko, in the FX series Shōgun. This show is based on a famous novel by James Clavell. The series premiered in February 2024. Anna's acting in Shōgun was highly praised by critics.

In 2024, she 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 a Primetime Emmy. She was also the first actress of Asian descent to win that specific Emmy category. In 2025, she won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama. Variety magazine named her performance in Shōgun as one of the best TV performances of the 21st century.

In September 2024, Anna 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 brand Dior also named Anna Sawai a brand ambassador.

Film and Television Roles

Key

Denotes productions that have not yet been released

Movies

Television Shows

Music Videos

Video Games

Stage Performances

Modeling and Magazine Features

Discography

Awards and Nominations

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

See also

In Spanish: Anna Sawai para niños