Anna Sawai

Anna Sawai

Born: June 11, 1992
in Wellington, New Zealand
Anna Sawai (born June 11, 1992) is a Japanese–New Zealand actress, dancer and singer. She began her film career in 2009 in a supporting role in the martial arts film Ninja Assassin, and debuted as a professional singer in 2013 as one of the lead vocalists in the J-pop girl group FAKY (2013-2018), singing in both Japanese and English. She co-stars in Justin Lin's Fast & Furious sequel, F9.

In 2004, shortly after moving to Japan, Sawai was chosen out of 10,000 applicants to play the title role in the stage musical Annie.

Sawai made her professional film debut in the 2009 Warner Bros. film Ninja Assassin, directed by James McTeigue, playing the rebellious teenage female ninja Kiriko who is executed for attempting to escape the Ozunu ninja clan.

In 2013, Sawai's work as a professional singer began with the dance/R&B group FAKY. She performed as one of the group's lead vocalists until her final show with the group on December 20, 2018. Her departure from the group was announced via FAKY's social media, citing her dream of pursuing her acting career.

In 2019, Sawai co-starred in the BBC crime drama Giri/Haji. In 2021, she co-starred in the action film F9, directed by Justin Lin. Sawai chose the role of Elle in F9 because she grew up watching the Fast & Furious films and appreciated the diversity of the film's cast.

In November 2019, it was announced that Sawai was signed by major U.S. talent agency WME. In October 2020, Sawai was announced to play savvy career woman Naomi in Apple's adaptation of Pachinko, based on the novel by Min Jin Lee, in a role created for the series.

Sawai grew up in New Zealand, Hong Kong, and the Philippines, before moving to Japan at the age of 10 due to her father's electronics job. During her childhood, she was influenced by her father to listen to The Beatles and The Carpenters. Her mother, who studied opera, gave her singing lessons.

Movies for Anna Sawai...

Title: Shōgun
Character: Toda Mariko
Released: February 27, 2024
Type: TV
In Japan in the year 1600, at the dawn of a century-defining civil war, Lord Yoshii Toranaga is fighting for his life as his enemies on the Council of Regents unite against him, when a mysterious European ship is found marooned in a nearby fishing village.
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Title: Monarch: Legacy of Monsters
Character: Cate Randa
Released: November 16, 2023
Type: TV
After surviving Godzilla's attack on San Francisco, Cate is shaken yet again by a shocking secret. Amid monstrous threats, she embarks on a globetrotting adventure to learn the truth about her family—and the mysterious organization known as Monarch.
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Title: Pachinko
Character: Naomi
Released: March 24, 2022
Type: TV
Follow the hopes and dreams of four generations of a Korean immigrant family beginning with a forbidden love and crescendos into a sweeping saga that journeys between Korea, Japan and America to tell the unforgettable story of war and peace, love and loss, triumph and reckoning.
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F9
Title: F9
Character: Elle
Released: May 19, 2021
Type: Movie
Dominic Toretto and his crew battle the most skilled assassin and high-performance driver they've ever encountered: his forsaken brother.
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Title: Giri/Haji
Character: Eiko
Released: October 17, 2019
Type: TV
Soulful thriller set in Tokyo and London, exploring the butterfly effect of a single murder across two cities. A dark, witty and daring examination of morality and redemption.
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Title: The Kelly Clarkson Show
Character: Self
Released: September 9, 2019
Type: TV
Kelly Clarkson presents the biggest newsmakers and names in film, television and music; as well as emerging new talent and everyday people who are beacons of hope in their communities.
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Title: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Character: Self
Released: September 8, 2015
Type: TV
Stephen Colbert brings his signature satire and comedy to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the #1 show in late night, where he talks with an eclectic mix of guests about what is new and relevant in the worlds of politics, entertainment, business, music, technology, and more. Featuring bandleader Jon Batiste with his band Stay Human, the Emmy Award-nominated show is broadcast from the historic Ed Sullivan Theater. Stephen Colbert, Chris Licht, Tom Purcell, and Jon Stewart are executive producers. Barry Julien and Denise Rehrig serve as co-executive producers.must watch
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Ninja Assassin
Title: Ninja Assassin
Character: Teenage Kiriko
Released: September 29, 2009
Type: Movie
Ninja Assassin follows Raizo, one of the deadliest assassins in the world. Taken from the streets as a child, he was transformed into a trained killer by the Ozunu Clan, a secret society whose very existence is considered a myth. But haunted by the merciless execution of his friend by the Clan, Raizo breaks free from them and vanishes. Now he waits, preparing to exact his revenge.
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Title: Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Character: Self
Released: January 26, 2003
Type: TV
Jimmy Kimmel Live! is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and broadcast on ABC.