Anna Sawai has won the Emmy for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series for the FX series “Shogun,” becoming the first actor of Asian descent to ever win in the category.

With her win, Sawai beat out fellow nominees Jennifer Aniston (Apple TV+’s “The Morning Show”), Carrie Coon (HBO’s “The Gilded Age”), Maya Erskine (Amazon’s “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”), Imelda Staunton (Netflix’s “The Crown”) and Reese Witherspoon (Apple TV+’s “The Morning Show”).

Sawai thanked the “Shogun” team, but also paid tribute to her mother, who served as her inspiration. “Thank you John Landgraf and the entire FX team for believing in our story. Thank you, Justin and Rachel, for believing in me and giving me this role of a lifetime,” she said.

“Finally, I want to thank my team and my family. Mom, I love you. You are the reason I am here. You showed me stoicism and I was able to portray it. This is for all the women who
“Expect nothing and remain an example to everyone,” Sawai concluded.

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This was Sawai’s first Emmy nomination and first win. Her other credits include the Apple TV+ shows “Pachinko” and “Monarch,” as well as the British crime series “Giri/Haji.” She has also appeared in films such as “F9” and “Ninja Assassin.”

“Shogun” received 25 Emmy nominations this year, making it the most nominated series at this year’s Emmys. It is based on the novel of the same name by James Clavell, which itself was inspired by real Japanese history. Sawai played Toda Mariko, a noblewoman who plays a key role in an impending civil war among the Japanese governing council of regents.

Originally intended as a limited series, it was reported in May that FX would instead submit “Shogun” for awards consideration as a drama series, signifying that they planned to produce more seasons. Not long after, FX announced that it had partnered with the Clavell estate and “Shogun” creators Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo to develop two more seasons of the show.

View all Emmy winners here.