Shogun— the FX miniseries, based on a novel by James Clavell has been an astounding hit with the powerhouse of performances from the lead stars including Anna Sawai who played Toda Mariko in the show. The Japanese actor, singer, and dancer, recently revealed that she was forced to turn down a DC role.
Shogun Star Anna Sawai Says She Was Forced Out From Auditioning Suicide Squad Role
Karen Fukuhara in Suicide Squad (2016). Image Credit: Warner Bros.
Shogun inherently elevated the prowess of the actor and made her a global star. However, the actor recently revealed that she had the perfect opportunity to have global fame much sooner. In a chat with The Hollywood Reporter, Sawai revealed that she was forced to turn down DC’s Suicide Squad role of Katana in 2016. The actor was a part of the girl group FAKY and the company behind the group did not allow the actor to even considered for the audition.
“I was like, ‘This is my chance!’ And then I go to my manager and he’s like, ‘You can’t audition.’ They basically told me that if I’m gone for over a month, the girls [the other members of FAKY] are not going to have anything to do,” she told THR.
The Shogun star revealed that she protested and asked for help but it was of no use. “It felt like they were really tying me down,” she revealed adding that her contract with the company trapped her from venturing out of her own. “And because of my contract, I couldn’t leave until the time that I actually left [in 2018].”
The role of Katana was eventually played by Karen Fukuhara in the David Ayer-directed Suicide Squad. The film grossed $746.85 million worldwide and spawned the spinoff film Bird of Prey and soft reboot The Suicide Squad by James Gunn, starring Margot Robbie, Viola Davis, Joel Kinnaman, Jai Courtney, David Dastmalchian, John Cena and others.
Anna Sawai About Playing Mariko on Shogun
Anna Sawai in Shogun (2024). Image Credit: FX
In the concluding episodes of the captivating period drama Shogun, viewers are left with no doubt that Anna Sawai’s portrayal of Mariko has been the linchpin of the narrative. Mariko, a noblewoman and devout Catholic, finds herself in a pivotal role as she serves as the interpreter for English sailor John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis), at the behest of her lord, Yoshii Toronaga (Hiroyuki Sanada).
In an interview with Marie Claire, she was asked What attracted her to the role of Mariko. Reflecting on her attraction to the role of Mariko, Anna Sawai shared her deep connection to the character’s story. She expressed, “I was really moved by Mariko’s story and the fact that she’s based on Hosokawa Gracia, who actually lived in Japan in 1600.”
Sawai emphasized Mariko’s quiet strength, highlighting the significance of portraying Japanese women beyond the stereotypical depictions prevalent in media. “For someone who doesn’t know Japanese culture, it might be fine, but a lot of times when I see the depiction of Japanese women, I never really felt like it was reflecting me. Finally with Mariko, it felt like, ‘Okay, this character feels real.’”
For Sawai, a Japanese actress with roots in New Zealand and Tokyo, embodying Mariko proved to be a transformative experience. “Her character made me rethink what I want to do in life,” Sawai told Town & Country.
The profound impact of Mariko lingered even after the series wrapped, prompting Sawai to contemplate her future roles. “I only want to play characters like Mariko. It was a really tough shoot, but that’s all I want do now, because it’s so meaningful to me and it makes me think as a person.“
Anna Sawai’s journey in the entertainment industry began at the tender age of 11, paving the way for her professional career. In 2009, she made her debut in the martial arts film Ninja Assassin, marking the beginning of a promising career.
Watch Shogun on Disney Plus.
