ANNA SAWAI
32 • BRIGHT STAR
By Hiroyuki Sanada
Anna Sawai could play any role on this earth, or in space. Period pieces or far-future films—she is so talented that she can do anything. Shogun was our first time working together. It was also her first time starring in a samurai drama. The effort she put into creating her character, Lady Mariko, was incredible. She had to learn so many things so quickly: riding a horse, walking in a kimono, fighting with a naginata, and performing in both English and samurai-era Japanese, which we never use in modern life. She’d call me on the weekend about the next week’s dialogue, and we’d talk about the meaning and the pronunciation, the rhythm and tone. The script was always changing, but she’d memorize it perfectly, and perform it with such power. She brought a kind of peace to the set, bringing everyone together: the Western crew, the Japanese crew. She was so kind, and thoughtful, and she played her role with such grace. This September, she won an Emmy—the first Asian actor to win in her category. From here, she’ll just get bigger, and bigger. I can’t wait to watch.
Sanada is an Emmy-winning actor and producer
FRED RICHARD
20 • HIGH-FLYING INSPIRATION
By Stephen Nedoroscik
Fred Richard improves faster than any other gymnast I have ever seen. He’s an amazing gymnast, as well as an amazing advocate for the sport. Men’s gymnastics hasn’t had its time in the spotlight in many years, but Fred is working harder than anybody else to change that. During his Olympic pursuit, he grew the sport’s fan base through social media and televised appearances.
It’s not just his motivation that makes him who he is, though. Fred lives for high-pressure situations. During the Olympic Games, we knew strategically that we needed a massive score on the horizontal bar. Fred being in the anchor position for the bar meant he was facing the highest pressure, and he completed the best routine of his Olympic Games. Thanks to him, we took home Team USA’s first men’s