Fans of FX’s Shōgun have been buzzing with one burning question since the series was renewed for Season 2: can Anna Sawai return as Toda Mariko when her character met such a definitive end? The Emmy-winning actress finally addresses whether viewers might see her beloved character again.
Anna Sawai talks about Shōgun Season 2
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Sawai opened up about watching her former castmates move forward with Shōgun Season 2 without her. Despite Mariko’s devastating death in episode nine, “Crimson Sky,” the actress admits she still feels deeply connected to the show that changed her career.
“I just received a text from [Shōgun director] Hiromi Kamata,” Sawai shared. “She sent me a photo, and it was a poster of Mariko by the window. And she was like, ‘We miss you.’ I do miss the whole team a lot because it was such a meaningful show to me.” Sawai’s portrayal of the complex translator earned her widespread critical acclaim and her first Emmy win.
Her character’s arc reached its climax when Mariko deliberately positioned herself at a door as enemies lit a fuse, dying in the explosion to complete her family’s lifelong mission. When asked if Anna Sawai’s Mariko could potentially appear in Season two through flashbacks or other narrative devices, the actress responded with intrigue. “That would be fun,” Sawai quipped. “It would be a surprise. We don’t know what’s going to happen, but I’m also very excited to see season two.”
While the original plan positioned Shōgun as a limited series, its massive success prompted FX to continue the story. Sawai, however, holds no regrets about her character’s fate. “My character’s arc finished in the best way, and now people miss me. So, in that sense, it couldn’t be better,” she explained.
Since Shōgun, Sawai has kept busy with Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 and landed a role as Yoko Ono in Sam Mendes’s ambitious four-part Beatles project.
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu on ComingSoon.
