Anna Sawai (アンナ・サワイ, born June 11, 1992) is a Japanese actress, singer, and dancer.[3][4] Born in New Zealand, she moved to Japan with her family at age 10. She landed her first acting role at age 11 as the title character in the 2004 Nippon TV production of Annie. Sawai later made her film debut as Kiriko in James McTeigue's 2009 neo-noir martial arts film Ninja Assassin.Sawai rose to fame in Japan as one of the lead vocalists of the girl group Faky from 2013 to 2018. She made a return to acting with supporting roles in the Japanese mystery series Colors (2018) and the British crime thriller series Giri/Haji (2019). Her international breakthrough came with the roles of Elle in F9 (2021), the ninth film in the Fast & Furious franchise, and Naomi in the Apple TV+ drama series Pachinko (2022–present). She gained further recognition for playing Cate Randa in the MonsterVerse series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (2023–2024) and received critical acclaim for her portrayal of Mariko in the FX miniseries Shōgun (2024).
The Collection is hosted by Brad Gilmore.
A production of Gilmore Media LLC.© 2025 Gilmore Media LLC. All rights reserved.
For inquiries, contact Brad at bradgilmore@cantwaitforever.com or visit bradgilmore.net.
Brad Gilmore is a Houston-based multimedia personality, author, and producer who has built a career at the intersection of sports, entertainment, and storytelling. Known to fans as The BOAT (“Best of All Time”), Brad has hosted and produced programming across ESPN Radio, CW39 Houston, and Reality of Wrestling alongside WWE Hall of Famer Booker T.He is the creator and host of The Collection, a podcast where he sits down with some of the most influential figures in film, television, and music. Brad is also an accomplished author, with forthcoming titles including Why We Love Back to the Future: 40 Years of Fandom, Flux Capacitors, and Timeless Adventures (Mango Publishing, 2025). His interviews, live events, and media work reflect his passion for pop culture and his gift for making conversations both insightful and entertaining.Beyond the microphone, Brad is committed to building platforms that spotlight creativity, amplify voices, and connect communities through media.
