“Shōgun”'s Anna Sawai Admits She Was 'Crying Before My Name Was Announced' as She Makes History with First Emmy Win

Sawai, the first woman of Asian descent to ever win outstanding lead actress in a drama series, thanked her mom, saying, "You showed me stoicism"

Anna Sawai made history with her win for outstanding lead actress in a drama series at the 2024 Emmy Awards!

The Shōgun actress took home the coveted prize on Sunday, Sept. 15. She beat out Carrie Coon (The Gilded Age), Imelda Staunton (The Crown), Jennifer Aniston (The Morning Show), Maya Erskine (Mr. and Mrs. Smith) and Reese Witherspoon (The Morning Show).

"I was crying before my name was announced; I'm a mess today," Sawai, who made history as the first woman of Asian descent to win in the category, began her speech after taking the stage.

After thanking the Television Academy and others — including Shōgun co-creators Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks "for believing in me and giving me this role of a lifetime" — the actress, 32, thanked her family, and specifically gave a shoutout to her mother.

"Mom, I love you," she said. "You are the reason I'm here. You showed me stoicism, and that's how I was able to portray Mariko."

Related: Yes, Anna Sawai Was in a J-Pop Girl Group Before She Got Into Acting: 'That Was My Way Into the Industry'

Sawai was nominated for her role as Toda Mariko, a poised and mysterious woman who serves as the translator for Lord Yoshii Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada), in FX's Shōgun.

During an appearance on PEOPLE in 10 in April, the actress opened up about the impact the character had left on her and why it was hard for her to move on after the series' finale.

"I thought that I had kind of let her go the moment that I wrapped because the next day, I had to go on to a different project, but when we started doing press for Shōgun before its release, I saw how much I was still carrying because I couldn't talk about certain scenes or the character without tearing up," said Sawai.

The actress also told Vogue ahead of the Emmys, “After finishing Shōgun, I wanted to give my mom a gift just to thank her for allowing me to go the path that I’m on."

"I bought her a Cartier Love ring. I didn’t get one for myself because it is luxury; it was a lot, but I wanted to give the most important person a gift," she added.

Related: Gilded Age Star Carrie Coon Says She Doesn't Bring Character Bertha's Energy Home: 'It's Just Chaos' (Exclusive)

Coon, who takes on the role of Bertha Russell, was nominated for her performance in HBO's 19th century period drama The Gilded Age.

On screen, Bertha is a new-money matriarch who stops at nothing to elevate her family. Incredibly wealthy from the success of her railroad tycoon husband George Russell (Morgan Spector), she plots and ploys to break into old New York society.

In a conversation with PEOPLE in August, the actress revealed that wearing heavily embellished gowns with gloves, hats and intricate hairstyles was not as glamorous as one may think.

"When you get to 16 hours in a corset and high heels, you just start to lose your mind," joked Coon, 43. "You start to understand why women changed five or six times a day, the upper-class women, because they needed a break."

Related: Every Actress Who Has Played Queen Elizabeth on The Crown (and What She's Said About It)

Staunton, 68, was nominated for her role as Queen Elizabeth for the sixth and final season of The Crown.

During an appearance on The Graham Norton Show in December 2023, the actress recalled learning about the late monarch's death in September 2022 while filming the final season.

"Lesley Manville, who plays Princess Margaret, and myself were filming, and at lunchtime we were told we might hear some sad news," she recalled.

Noting that she was at first confused, Staunton said that production then alerted her it was tied to the Queen's death and asked if she wanted to pause filming, which she declined.

"We carried on and finished the day ... and weirdly, in the schedule, I had 10 days off, which was the 10 days of mourning," she continued. "I was inconsolable that night. And I would have been sad, but obviously, I think it was fueled by living with her for so long."

Related: Jennifer Aniston Says Diane Sawyer Inspired Her 'Morning Show' Character

Aniston, 55, was nominated for her role as anchor Alex Levy in Apple TV+'s The Morning Show.

While speaking with Variety in April 2023, the actress opened up about the positive work atmosphere and revealed why she loved collaborating with her costars on the hit show.

“We thrive and it’s quite — dare I say it — easy,” Aniston raved. “It’s such a pleasant set to be on. We love to communicate. We love to work stuff out, and we don’t just shove stuff under the rug. There’s no stone left unturned in a creative decision. We all put our heads together."

"There’s something so wonderful about trusting in your co-workers to know that if five people tell you look sick, then I’m gonna lay down, I’m gonna put my sword down on this one," she added.

Related: Donald Glover Reveals Brad Pitt's Reaction to New Mr. & Mrs. Smith Reboot: 'Gave Me Good Advice'

Erskine, 37, was nominated for her performance as Jane Smith in Prime Video's Mr. & Mrs. Smith. The series costarred Donald Glover as the two played reimagined versions of the film roles made famous by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

The duo played two strangers who landed mysterious jobs as spies and had to live as a married couple called Mr. and Mrs. John and Jane Smith.

The Smiths have to navigate a different, high-risk mission in each episode of the series. But the biggest challenge the couple comes to face is their feelings for one another. They find themselves facing the question: What’s riskier, espionage or marriage?

Related: The Morning Show Season 4: All About the Drama Starring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon

Witherspoon, 48, was nominated for her role as Bradley Jackson in Apple TV+'s The Morning Show.

The actress' character Bradley Jackson and Aniston's Alex Levy have endured an up-and-down working relationship ever since the duo were partnered to anchor The Morning Show following the firing of Mitch Kessler (Steve Carell) in season 1.

During a panel at an FYC event at Paramount Studios in June, Aniston opened up about the tight-knit bond the two have formed since taking on their roles over the years.

"We love to hate each other, and we love to love each other, and I think that's sort of a really fun dynamic that Reese and I get to play," she said. "And, of course, we would like to be together forever, I would think. I hope, but ... we really don't know what's going to happen."

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