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Anna Sawai Movies, Cast & Biography

Anna Sawai (アンナ・サワイ, born June 11, 1992) is a Japanese actress and singer. Born in New Zealand, she moved to Japan with her family at age 10. She landed her first acting role at age 11 as the title character in the 2004 Nippon Television production of Annie.…

Born
11 June 1992
Birthplace
Wellington, New Zealand
Known for
Actor
Guides here
1 film

Biography

Who is Anna Sawai?

Anna Sawai (アンナ・サワイ, born June 11, 1992) is a Japanese actress and singer. Born in New Zealand, she moved to Japan with her family at age 10. She landed her first acting role at age 11 as the title character in the 2004 Nippon Television production of Annie. Sawai later debuted in James McTeigue's 2009 martial arts film Ninja Assassin. Sawai rose to fame in Japan as one of the lead vocalists of the girl group Faky from 2013 to 2018. She made a return to acting with a supporting role in the British crime thriller series Giri/Haji (2019). Her international breakthrough came with her role in the Apple TV+ drama series Pachinko (2022–present). She gained further recognition for starring in the MonsterVerse series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (2023–present) and the historical drama Shōgun (2024). She won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for the latter. She became the first Japanese actress to win a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. In 2024, Time magazine included her on its 100 Next list. Description above from the Wikipedia article Anna Sawai, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Biography from TMDB, edited for length. Verified 6 November 2026.

In our library

Anna Sawai film guides

Full cast, ratings, runtime and official places to watch.

Filmography

Notable credits

  • F92021Elle
  • Shōgun2024Toda Mariko
  • Ninja Assassin2009Teenage Kiriko
  • Monarch: Legacy of Monsters2023Cate Randa
  • The Late Show with Stephen Colbert2015Self
  • Pachinko2022Naomi
  • Jimmy Kimmel Live!2003Self - Guest
  • Giri/Haji2019Eiko
  • Late Night with Seth Meyers2014Self - Guest
  • The Kelly Clarkson Show2019Self

Credit list from TMDB. Sorted by audience votes.

Questions

Frequently asked

Anna was born in which country?

Wellington, New Zealand.

What is Anna Sawai best known for?

Best known as a actor, with 1 credited film in the MovieState library.

Which Anna Sawai films can I read about here?

How to Rob a Bank (2026).