While Anna Sawai is busy conquering television and movies, the Emmy Award-winning “Shogun” star stepped into the world of show business as a member of J-Pop band FAKY. Now, Sawai is returning to her musical roots by playing the role of Yoko Ono in Sam Mendes’ upcoming Beatles biopic.
“It was a dream of mine to tell her story, but I never thought it would come true this soon,” Sawai told Variety Thursday night at the Los Angeles premiere of Apple TV’s “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” Season 2. “I feel like there’s a side to her that people still don’t understand, and I think this movie allows us to tell that side of the story.”
In preparation, Sawai has been busy reading everything she can about the artist and musician. “I read an awful lot of books, my God,” she said. “So many books, so many videos, so many articles… She has so much artwork that shows her personality.”
During the London set, Sawai teases that he enjoyed hearing the cast (Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Joseph Quinn as George Harrison, and Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr) perform the iconic band’s music. “They don’t even look at the sheet music anymore. They just play and sing and it really sounds like the Beatles to me. It feels surreal.”
The four biopics will be released simultaneously in theaters on April 7, 2028.
In the meantime, viewers can catch Sawai as Kate Landa in Season 2 of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, which premieres on Apple TV on February 27th. Season 1 followed the two brothers as they uncover their family’s ties to Monarch, a secret organization that specializes in monster surveillance, while Season 2 unfolds as the organization’s fate is at stake and a new titan emerges from the sea, putting the world at risk.
Sawai teased that fans will get to see Kate “find a new purpose and find meaning in her family’s legacy.” “She will start chasing instead of running away,” she said.
As for what she’s most excited about, the answer is simple. It’s a new monster. “They all have their own stories,” Sawai said. “We were able to relate to the human story, and I think some people might actually be able to relate to the monster story.”
Season 2 of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters also stars Kiersey Clemons, Mari Yamamoto, Joe Tippett, Ren Watanabe, Kurt Russell, Wyatt Russell, Anders Holm, Takehiro Hira, and new addition Curtis Cooke.
Check out photos from the Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 premiere below.
Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell
Variety (via Getty Images)
Amber Midthunder and Tory Tunnel
Variety (via Getty Images)
Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Mari Yamamoto
Variety (via Getty Images)
Kurt Russell, Lawrence Trilling, Joe Tippett
Variety (via Getty Images)
