Anna Sawai wows at the 2024 Emmys in a scarlet dress with a low waist

Anna Sawai caused a stir during her debut appearance at the Emmys.

As a first-time nominee – for her outstanding performance in FX’s Shogun— Sawai dazzled with her look at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards held tonight at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.

Her red carpet look followed the drop-waist trend: a sultry off-the-shoulder Vera Wang dress with a pointed neckline and a tiered trumpet skirt. She kept the look light on accessories, adding just a pair of dazzling diamond and sapphire earrings by Cartier.

Amy Sussman//Getty Images

Getty Images

Sawai's first Emmy nomination is for her portrayal of Mariko in FX's historical drama Shogun, Adapted from the 1975 novel of the same name by James Clavell. Shogun is the most nominated series at this year's ceremony, leading the field with 25 nominations in total, including in highly coveted categories such as Best Drama Series, Best Actor and Best Actress.

In an interview in April 2024 with esquire, Sawai spoke at length about seeing a character like Mariko as a Japanese woman on screen.

“I think it's great that we can see all the struggles of women. Often it's the men who go to war and who have the power,” she said. “Especially as a Japanese woman, I haven't seen our strength portrayed in the Western media. But in [Shōgun]we really get to see them use their power in a completely different way. It's so quiet and subtle, but they have so much power. I liked that we get to see the different ways Mariko's power can be used.”

She added: “In the naginata In this scene, she obviously shows physical strength. But in the scene where she faces Ishido, she is very open. The real strength is in her – and in her actions. She is not loud. The most powerful people are those who don't really show it.”

As deputy editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com, Chelsey stays on top of celebrity news. She also writes about social movements and connects with activists fighting for workers' rights, climate justice, and more. Offline, she's probably spending too much time on TikTok, rewatching Emma (the 2020 version, of course), or buying another corset.