You can’t say that Hiroyuki Sanada does not fully immerse himself in his work. In a sixty-year career that began at the age of five, he has taken on countless roles and gained invaluable experience with each one, lending his expertise both in front of the camera and as a consultant to various productions. It is only fitting that after six decades in the industry, Sanada officially took on a new role, that of producer for FX’s event drama series, Shogun.
Producing one of the biggest television productions of the past few decades would certainly be challenging enough for most, but not for Sanada. The “new producer” delved even deeper into the series by taking on a lead role, that of feudal Japanese warlord Yoshii Toranaga. The challenge of acting and producing is a remarkable feat in itself, made even more impressive by the fact that he received two Emmy nominations – one for Best Actor in a Drama Series and another for Best Drama Series for his work as a producer.
Sanada spoke to Awards Radar and gave some great insights into how his life experience helped him take on the dual role of Shogun. The conversation delved into the intricacies behind the scenes of the ambitious project and the immense commitment required to bring such an epic vision to life. He spoke about the challenges and triumphs of working as an actor/producer, as well as the absolute commitment to authenticity for the historical masterpiece. His reflections offer a compelling insight into the artistry and effort that Shogunas well as working with co-stars Cosmos Jarvis, Anna Sawai and Tadanobu Asano.
Below you will find some excerpts from the conversation that describe his creative journey in front of and behind the camera. (You can listen to the full and fascinating conversation above.)
On his 60th journey to becoming a producer:
“In Japan, I started acting when I was five years old. So I acted in a lot of samurai dramas or movies. A lot of masters or, you know, the crew taught me a lot. Luckily, I know the background of this show and each and every department. So I was able to give them advice or point them out during preparation and on set, checking the monitors.
Then I had a title producer for the first time. So it’s easier than before. You know, after The Last SamuraiWhen I play the Japanese role, I always consulted for the film or television. But I had to do everything myself: extras, movement, dialogue, costume or cues, decoration. But this time I had a team.
So much, much easier than before. And besides, as a producer, I have the right to say something and then they listen to me. So I don’t have to hesitate about the right time or the nuance to say something, to correct something, you know, I try to avoid hurting their pride. So I put all my life experience into the Shogun.
On his less-is-more approach to playing Toranaga:
Be present in front of the camera as a character, don’t do too much, you know, just react to others and then try to hide your emotions as much as possible. I always told myself less is more, less means not showing too much, not explaining too much, not applying your technique, but just being present as a character with emotions.
That was my attitude. And before I act in front of the camera, I prepare everything with the team. So when I act as an actor, I can relax more, you know, and then. From writing a script, casting, staffing, everything I’ve already done, so when I act, I don’t have to think much, I can just concentrate and enjoy working with others. So, yeah. Less is more. That was my motto.
On how all his previous experiences flowed into Toranaga:
Since I was five years old. So many roles I’ve played. So many lessons I’ve learned. And each experience is linked to the next. So I’ve played every single role. It felt like an audition. Every time. This will be an audition for the next one.
And then the role of the next generation. And then we can’t skip Romeo, Hamlet, Richard III and King Lear or anything like that. I’ve played a lot of different samurai roles. But I had to be the right age to play him. And then I finally got to play this role.
Yes, that’s why I say that all the experiences from the project led me here and brought me to play another role. And then maybe that role joined the role of the next generation. So it was another audition too.
Check out all of Hiroyuki’s work from the first season of Shogun now streaming on FX.
