The Making of Shōgun – Chapter Two: A Day with Hiroyuki Sanada | FX

Yes, I will. ERIKO MIYAGAWA: It’s really incredible, his dedication to this show– obviously, not just as a performer but, also, as a producer. Thank you. It’s a long, big journey for me. See you on set. See you at set. There’s one guy there. ERIKO MIYAGAWA: When he’s not in front of the camera, he’s behind the camera. He is checking every single detail, from props and costume to movements of the background to Japanese dialogue. He’s checking monitors, from call time till wrap, making sure every single detail is authentic. When we started on this project, there was

the book– Shōgun by James Clavell– and there was the conversation that Hiro Sanada was interested in playing Toranaga. And that, I felt like, is all we needed for a show. And then he’s got the neck. Keep this arm in. Only the neck. Yeah, yeah, yeah. JUSTIN MARKS: This is an actor who has been at the top of his game in Japan and the top of his game in the United States. But all the roles that he’s played in the United States, we’ve never gotten to see him in this place, at the center of this story.

And I feel like, what a waste of one of our generation’s greatest actors not to bring him right to the front of it. And I think that’s what’s so exciting, to see every other actor getting a chance to play

against him. Most of our actors are on this show because Hiro Sanada is playing this role, for the chance to work with Hiro Sanada, and for the chance to learn from Hiro Sanada. He’s very concerned and cares about the well-being of everybody, especially the ones who traveled all the way from Japan to come here. And he’s

always making sure everybody’s happy. OK, marker. I just don’t know when he sleeps. The other day, I overheard one of the ADs saying they did one specific scene. CREW: All right, here we go. Ready. RACHEL KONDO: And everybody was stunned into silence. And then he quickly took off everything he was wearing in order to hurry on over to the next stage to be the advisor for another scene. OK, nice. Good timing. Second team. In one way or another, we all work for Hiro Sanada, and he will never make you feel that way.