Hiroyuki Sanada: actor and producer driving TV's 'Shogun'

TOKYO, Japan — Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada's star turn in "Shogun" earned him a nomination for the Emmys, which takes place on Sunday, but he was also a driving force behind the huge success of the TV series as co-producer.

It is the first time in Sanada's nearly six-decade career, in which he rose to fame in action blockbusters, that he has taken on a double role in front of and behind the camera.

The 63-year-old is credited with bringing a new level of cultural and historical authenticity to the period drama set in feudal Japan after decades of hit-and-miss Western interpretations.

"I always felt there were limits to what I could say as an actor," Sanada said in a YouTube video published by the Disney-owned FX network, which made "Shogun."

"I had to be reserved, think about how to say things, consider timing, and be careful," he said.

But as a producer, he could offer guidance without hesitation on how best to portray the samurai era, deftly switching between his two jobs.

"After I finished filming, I would take off my wig, change into my casual clothes, and go back to the site to continue my consulting work."

Sanada plays strategic warlord Toranaga, a character based on Tokugawa Ieyasu — one of Japan's most famous shogun generals in the 17th century.

He is nominated for best actor in a drama at the Emmys. It is one of a staggering 25 nods overall, with 14 statuettes already awarded to the series at a pre-gala ceremony.

The actor told a press conference in Tokyo earlier this year that he was attracted to the role because Ieyasu brought an end to an "era of warfare and created a long period of peace."

"In a world of constant conflict, I think such a heroic figure is needed," he said.

Born in Tokyo, Sanada began acting young — at the age of five — in a movie starring Sonny Chiba, a martial artist and actor who later appeared in "Kill Bill."

As a teenager, he developed his martial arts skills at the Japan Action Club, founded by Chiba.

At the same time, he also studied traditional Japanese dance, an experience he described as "essential for playing a role in a period drama, from dressing and gestures to sword-fighting."

"Not only the techniques, but also the