Anna Sawai, the breakout star of FX’s hit series “Shōgun,” has revealed a heartbreaking missed opportunity from her past that could have launched her acting career sooner. In an exclusive interview with The Hollywood Reporter’s “Awards Chatter” podcast, the 31-year-old actress recounted how she was forced to turn down an audition for the role of Katana in the 2016 film “Suicide Squad” due to restrictions imposed by her record label at the time.
Sawai’s journey began in 2006 when she was signed by Avex, a major Japanese entertainment company, after auditioning for their music and dance bootcamp aimed at creating J-Pop stars. After years of rigorous training, she joined the girl group FAKY in 2013, with assurances from her management that being part of a successful group would help her transition into acting.
However, those promises quickly proved hollow. When a “big audition” for an American movie, later revealed to be “Suicide Squad,” came up, and the filmmakers were seeking a Japanese actress for a role, Sawai saw her chance. “I was like, ‘This is my chance!'” she recalled. But her manager swiftly shut down the opportunity, claiming that if she were absent for over a month, the other members of FAKY would be left without work.
Despite Sawai’s protests that landing the role could benefit the group, her pleas fell on deaf ears. “It felt like they were really tying me down,” she lamented, “and because of my contract, I couldn’t leave until the time that I actually left [in 2018].”
The role of Katana ultimately went to Karen Fukuhara, who Sawai praised for her performance, stating, “She did an amazing job, and I respect her so much, and I love her. But also, I would have loved to audition for it.”
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Sawai’s big break eventually came with “Shōgun,” the FX limited series that recently concluded its run. The actress shared that watching the finale alone in her hotel room in Los Angeles was “very emotional” for her, likening it to “saying bye to your kid and sending them off to college.”
While Sawai has found success on the small screen, her revelation serves as a sobering reminder of the challenges artists often face in pursuing their dreams, particularly when bound by restrictive contracts and industry politics.
