OUTSTANDING LEADING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Donald Glover as John Smith / Michael for (“Second Date”) in “MR. AND MRS. SMITH”

Walton Goggins as The Ghoul / Cooper Howard for (“The Trap”) in “FALLOUT”

Cosmo Jarvis as Pilot-Major John Blackthorne for (“Anjin”) in “SHŌGUN”

Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb for (“Uninvited Guests”) in “SLOW HORSES”

Hiroyuki Sanada as Lord Yoshii Toranaga for (“A Stick of Time”) in “SHŌGUN”

Morgan Spector as George Russell for (“Warning Shots”) in “THE GILDED AGE”

AND THE WINNER IS:

HIROYUKI SANADA AS LORD YOSHI TORANAGA FOR (“A STICK OF TIME”) IN "SHÔGUN"

This is the first win and nomination for Hiroyuki Sanada. He wins for his performance as Lord Yoshii Toranaga on Shôgun.

Until the final category decision of what awards Shôgun would compete for was announced this last month I knew whichever category the show competed in that Hiroyuki Sanada would be a strong contender for a leading actor trophy. As the respected Lord Yoshii Toranaga in the series Sanada was so brilliant in his stoism that when his character exploded whether through spoken dialogue or physical acts it meant a lot. Sanada has been a working actor both in Japan and internationally for over half a century and this is indeed the greatest part he has ever gotten to play. Knowing Sanada was a producer on the show adds to the praise he deserves for his spectacular performance. Even as the series starts as a story through the eyes of the outsider in Blackthorne as the series progresses it is the Japanese characters who you come to love and appreciate most.

I hope this wonderful turn leads to far more exciting opportunities for Sanada and actors similar to him.