The Best Movies and TV Shows of Emmy-Winning Shōgun Star Hiroyuki Sanada

Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada is officially an Emmy winner. After winning critical acclaim for his outstanding performance in the 2024 period drama and action series Shōgun, the actor went on to bag the award for Lead Actor in a Drama Series at the 2024 Emmy Awards. While the first season garnered rave reviews from across the globe, the show has been revived for two more seasons by FX and Hulu. As the series continues to enthral viewers, let’s take a look at some of the best Hiroyuki Sanada movies and TV shows that prove his versatility.

The action star made his film debut with Rokyoku Komori-uta (1965) at the age of five. He joined Japan Action Club by Sonny Chiba to master martial arts when he was 11 or 12 years of age, and in 1999, Sanada became the first Japanese actor to play King Lear in a stage production by the Royal Shakespeare Co. He even received an honorary Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2002.

From starring alongside Michelle Yeoh in Royal Warriors (1986) to appearing in Danny Boyle’s action film Sunshine (2007), he became a character actor only to take up bigger roles shortly later.

The best Hiroyuki Sanada movies and TV are a testament to his prolific acting career which has propelled him towards other noted projects like the horror film Ringu (1999), The Last Samurai (2003), Lost (2004-2010), 47 Ronin (2013), The Railway Man (2013), Avengers: EndGame (2019), Mortal Kombat (2021), The Bullet Train (2022) and now Shōgun. These popular movies and series have also garnered high ratings on IMDb, attesting their critical acclaim.

Such films and shows have earned him prestigious accolades and awards, too. One film that deserves a mention is Rush Hour 3 (2007). Although it has an IMDb rating of 6.2, the film is an entertaining watch. It features Sanada showing off his stunts alongside action star and his longtime friend Jackie Chan. On a different note, did you know Sanada lent his voice to the character of Sumo Villain in Minions (2015), one of the fighters from the Villain-Con organisation?

Considered among the most talented actors in Hollywood and the Japanese film industry, Emmy winner Hiroyuki Sanada has built a vast and diverse repertoire of movies and TV shows that will interest any cinephile.

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15 of the best Hiroyuki Sanada movies and TV shows