Andrew Garfield Says ‘We Stay in Time’ Helped Him Navigate Mid-Life
SPOILER ALERT: The subsequent interview accommodates spoilers from “Chapter Fourteen,” this week’s episode of “Pachinko,’ now streaming on AppleTV+.
“It’s been an excellent week,” says a smiling Anna Sawai on the Thursday after her history-making Emmys victory. Having gained an Emmy for lead actress in a drama — for her place as Toda Mariko in FX’s “Shōgun” — she grew to turn into the first actor of Asian descent ever to win inside the class, thought of one in all a record-breaking 18 full trophies for the drama’s first season.
However the New Zealand-born Sawai had solely so much time to benefit from that Emmys extreme: She wanted to report once more to work in Australia, the place she speaks with Selection over Zoom whereas capturing Season 2 of the Apple TV+ assortment “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.” throughout which she stars (alongside Godzilla, in truth) inside the lead place of Cate Randa.
Nevertheless, it’s her completely different assortment that we’re talking about presently, since Sawai may also be a cast member in creator Soo Hugh’s interval drama “Pachinko,” which is at current airing its sophomore season on Apple TV+. Within the gathering’ Nineteen Eighties timeline, Sawai performs daring businesswoman Naomi Ichizaki, who’s at current in a relationship with colleague Solomon Baek (Jin Ha) — nonetheless we see their romance hit a severe snag on this week’s episode.
Right right here, Sawai talks about her Emmys win, and affords notion into this week’s “Pachinko” episode — and discusses how collaborating in Naomi has confirmed her what her private mother endured inside the enterprise world plenty of a very long time in the previous.
I should ask you some Emmys questions as a result of it’s clearly very modern. How are you feeling now, plenty of days later?
It feels surreal. I don’t suppose I’ll ever get better from the reality that our current made historic previous. I do know that it’s occurred, however it certainly’s such an infinite issue. Once we went into capturing it, I didn’t depend on for this to happen. And when people started talking and me being nominated, I was like, “There’s no means that’s gonna occur!” Life is so uncommon.
Anna Sawai on the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards
Christopher Polk
There was quite a few talk about you crying so much, even sooner than your determine was known as. Is that merely who you’re, or would possibly you merely not maintain it in?
I actually really feel like all people who’s conscious of me in my non-public life has seen me cry. I get very emotional, nonetheless I wasn’t crying on account of I felt favor it was going to happen or one thing like that — I was crying from sooner than the day even occurred. Once I met Kathy Bates, I was bawling my eyes out on account of she gave me a reward. I moreover suppose it was merely being nervous, and it was my first nomination. I was merely being overwhelmed, I suppose.
After the current, there are all the occasions, nonetheless did you carry the statue all the time? I do comprehend it’s fairly heavy, and it’s large!
For every event that I went to, I was holding it. I don’t know why I did that, nonetheless my workforce was like, “No, merely stroll in with it. Individuals are going to be glad to see you holding it.’ And so I did. Now I actually really feel like my correct arm is method bigger than my left, on account of I was holding it all the night time time.
Which occasions did you hit?
The one which I stayed longest was the FX one. So we had all the FX people, and all the people from the current. It was good to easily have an excellent time all people’s work collectively.
Inform me about all the awards advertising and marketing marketing campaign, which is quite a few work. Did you end up bonding with any of your fellow actors by the use of all that?
Yeah, Nava Mau from “Child Reindeer,” we met a pair situations. It was merely good to see anyone who was experiencing it for the first time as successfully. After which I moreover met Ayo Edebiri, and I imagine that she went by the use of one factor associated and is at a singular stage now. She’s presumably a pair years ahead of what I’m experiencing, and gave me advice. She knew exactly what I was feeling and the best way uncommon, however moreover excellent that’s and what I could be cautious for. Simply very actual, and I made an excellent connection alongside along with her.
Between “Shōgun,” “Pachinko” and “Monarch,” these are all very large reveals with large concepts. Is that by design, or is it really merely the best way in which points have fallen?
Perhaps my workforce was being a bit bit further tactful, nonetheless I on no account went into it contemplating, “Oh, that is good due to this and that.” It was merely finding out the scripts, chatting with the showrunners and feeling whether or not or not I linked with the character or not. What I like is that they’re all so completely completely different, however moreover they’re so essential to me on account of they enable the viewers to see Asian people in a singular delicate. For “Monarch,” which I’m doing correct now, I’m collaborating in a Japanese American particular person, which I’ve on no account carried out sooner than.
“Shōgun” is what it’s, and with “Pachinko,” for the first time, I was in a place to really discover out about my mom’s period and the best way she was dealt with in enterprise. Having Soo embrace a character like Naomi [who is Japanese] when it’s a narrative a few Korean immigrant family, that meant slightly so much to me. And she or he was so supportive in telling that female wrestle that everybody is aware of. I’m merely appreciative that I’ve had the possibility to tell our story in plenty of other ways.
Courtesy of Sophie Giraud/Apple TV+
And your character in “Pachinko” isn’t in Min Jin Lee’s novel, correct? She was created for the gathering?
Sure, Soo made a character, on account of she found the importance in talking about Japanese ladies all through that time.
How needed is the Naomi and Solomon relationship to her, provided that her occupation may also be a priority for her — nonetheless we see they’re butting heads on this week’s episode?
It’s extraordinarily needed, on account of he’s the one male decide to her that understands the place she’s coming from, regardless that what they want is completely completely different and the best way in which they execute problems with their enterprise is completely completely different. They’ve a mutual respect for each other and understanding — on account of they’re every misfits. Naomi is a girl in a male-dominant commerce. He’s a Korean and she or he’s Japanese in Japan, so I imagine they’ll actually really feel each other’s ache. And additionally they bond in meaning.
However it’s laborious, on account of Naomi’s family wishes one factor completely completely different for her, on account of they’re from an older period. They don’t understand the bond between Koreans and Japanese. They’re on reverse sides, so she’s attempting to navigate that, and it’s laborious on account of it’s her family. She wishes her family to wish what she wishes, and she’s going to’t merely push them away. Solomon doesn’t understand what she’s going by the use of. He expects her, I suppose, to determine on one or the other. It’s very heartbreaking to see them crumble, on account of I imagine that how they view each other is so actual. However the whole thing else is pulling them away from each other.
However his timing may also be not good, on account of he ends points alongside along with her after which immediately asks her to do identify on this mortgage, which she’s not going to do. Do you suppose she would have had a singular response if the timing had been completely completely different?
I don’t contemplate she would have had a singular response, on account of he’s giving her information that’s new to her and she or he’s seeing his true colors. Whether or not their relationship personally was good or not, she would nonetheless have been shocked to hunt out out about what he had accomplished and what he’s asking for. The timing is uncommon, nonetheless I imagine that he was at that second, like, “I don’t care anymore. That is what’s necessary to me now.” I’m talking on Solomon’s behalf, and I don’t know what Jin’s going to say about it — nonetheless what’s essential to Solomon is that this enterprise. He merely didn’t care anymore.
Courtesy of Apple TV+
So now I’m frightened for her. How large is that this going to get personally and professionally?
We see how vicious the enterprise and commerce are to ladies. Ladies have to be good. They have to be twice the amount increased than males, to start with, to be in the similar place. They should spend twice the time frame to get there, and they also make one mistake and it’s over for them. Whereas if this have been a person, they could get a second chance. And so we see how unfair the society is in the course of women.
It was solely 40 years in the previous, nonetheless listening to tales from my mom and her buddies, it merely seems to be like they’ve been dealt with a way and they also have been anticipated to behave a way. It merely makes me so pissed off. Soo is doing an amazing job by really making it actually really feel precise, and as a result of these struggles, we’re proper right here now and we’re in a place to battle it further. However these ladies wanted to endure the whole thing.
The costumes inside the current — from costume designer Kyunghwa Chae — are implausible. I do know all folks’s talking in regards to the “Shōgun” wardrobe, nonetheless can you moreover talk about your wardrobe in “Pachinko?” Naomi will get to placed on some really fashionable enterprise suits.
I indicate, she is a girl inside the ‘80s, so we wished to do the shoulder pads and the whole lot — however we didn’t want her to be the on a regular basis eye-candy decide to the lads. There was a time after we decided to convey it a bit above the knee, then pretty above the knee — nonetheless then we landed with merely above the knee on account of we didn’t want her to advertise her sexuality inside the office, on account of that’s not her in any respect. It was intentional to determine on these expert outfits. I obtained to placed on some Chanel suits, which is excellent. The wardrobe may also be one factor that reveals her character and could also be very, very expert. Exterior of the office, we do see her sporting some cute outfits that aren’t the Naomi that everyone knows inside the office.
I’ve to say how fulfilling the “Pachinko” opening credit score sequence is. I on no account skip by the use of them, by the best way in which.
By no means. It’s merely fulfilling on account of I wasn’t part of the first season intro. I had quite a few questions, like “Am I supposed to bop as Naomi, or am I supposed to simply dance as myself?” And so that they have been like, “Simply be your self, as a result of Naomi wouldn’t be dancing full on, massive smile and twirling round.” It was good to be on set and allow myself to easily have fulfilling with all people.
One last Emmys question sooner than we wrap this up. Do you’ve gotten an idea however the place the statue will go in your home?
I don’t know, on account of I really don’t have a super spot for it. I need to buy a shelf the place I can place my completely different award, on account of I was on the TCA Awards and I was awarded a form of so I’ve as a minimum two to positioned on that shelf. As quickly as I get once more to Japan, I’ll in all chance try to find out what I want to do.
Japan is home, correct?
Tokyo and the States. I shuttle so much that I can’t say one or the other. However family is in Tokyo, so I similar to to go there as soon as I’m not working and as so much time as I can with my mom.
Additionally, I know you’ve gotten a singing background from early in your occupation. Will we see you in roles the place you’re going to get to sing? As a results of it merely seems to be like a no brainer, nonetheless —
I’m not that assured in singing, so anyone should really make me actually really feel like I can do it. However on account of I do have experience being inside the music commerce, I do know that there’s a very fascinating story to tell. I do want to presumably be part of a film musical.
It seems to be like they remake “A Star Is Born” often, so you’ll be able to do the next mannequin!
“A Star Is Born,” like, doing it after Woman Gaga? No, I couldn’t ever do that. However, yeah, one can dream.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
