FX's "Shōgun" season 2: new and returning cast announced
The global hit drama series FX’s “Shōgun” today announced the new and returning cast joining the series for the second season, as well as the directors and writers lined up for the next chapter of the Emmy Award-winning show, which is set over a decade after the events of the first season. The second season will stream exclusively on Disney, with all episodes of season one available to stream now.
With season two set to begin production in Vancouver in January, the cast, directors and writers were announced as part of The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific Disney Originals Preview in Hong Kong.
Newly added to the cast include Ren Meguro ("Kazutada"), Asami Mizukawa (“Aya”), Masataka Kubota (“Hyūga”), Sho Kaneta (“Hidenobu”), Takaaki Enoki (“Lord Ito”) and Jun Kunimura (“Gōda”).
A member of the chart-topping J-pop nonet "Snow Man," Meguro is also active as a multiple award-winning film and television actor and currently serves as a global ambassador for fashion house FENDI. He also stars in the documentary “Traveling with Snow Man,” which follows the group on an epic journey across Japan and is now streaming on Disney globally.
"I am incredibly honored to join the cast of ‘Shōgun’ season two,” said Meguro. “When I streamed ‘Shōgun’ on Disney last year, I was profoundly moved by the series' unique and grand portrayal of Japan, which felt different from past portrayals. As a Japanese person, I felt a compelling urge to be part of this groundbreaking production. I started learning more about the production team, exploring Hiroyuki Sanada's vision and his long-standing dedication, and reading various articles about ‘Shōgun.’ This year, the opportunity to audition came my way. I submitted my footage and participated in auditions. Now, my dream has become a reality, and it truly felt like a dream come true. For the past year, I have constantly envisioned myself on the set of ‘Shōgun,’ bringing my character to life. I am committed to honoring the legacy that so many have built before me and to carefully shaping the role entrusted to me in this remarkable series. I can't wait for everyone to see the release of ‘Shōgun’ season two and to share in this incredible journey with us. Thank you and please look forward to ‘Shōgun’ season two.”
Emmy Award Winner Hiroyuki Sanada (“Toranaga”) and Cosmo Jarvis (“Blackthorne”) lead the stellar cast of returning stars, including Fumi Nikaidô (“Ochiba”), Shinnosuke Abe (“Buntaro”), Hiroto Kanai (“Omi”), Yoriko Dôguchi (“Kiri”), Tommy Bastow (“Alvito”), Yuko Miyamoto (“Gin”), Eita Okuno (“Saeki”) and Yuka Kouri (“Kiku”).
Two directors from the award-winning first season of “Shōgun” - Hiromi Kamata (Season 1, Episode 6 “Ladies of the Willow World”) and Takeshi Fukunaga (Season 1, Episode 7, “A Stick of Time”) - are set to direct on season two, with Anthony Byrne (FX’s “Say Nothing”), Kate Herron (“Loki”) and Justin Marks also set to direct episodes.
The writers on season two of “Shōgun” are Rachel Kondo, Justin Marks, Shannon Goss, Matt Lambert, Maegan Houang, Emily Yoshida, Caillin Puente and Sofie Somoroff.
In the first season, Lord Yoshii Toranaga (Sanada) fought for his survival as his enemies in the Council of Regents united against him. When a mysterious European ship was found marooned in a nearby village, its English pilot John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) shared vital strategic secrets with Toranaga that tipped the scales of power in his favor to win a century-defining civil war.
Part two of “Shōgun” is set ten years after the events of the first season and continues the historically-inspired saga of these two men from different worlds whose fates are inextricably entwined.
“Shōgun,” an original adaptation of James Clavell’s bestselling novel, is created for television by Rachel Kondo & Justin Marks and produced by FX Productions. Marks and Kondo are Executive Producers alongside Michaela Clavell, Edward L. McDonnell and Michael De Luca and Hiroyuki Sanada. Cosmo Jarvis serves as Co-Executive Producer along with Eriko Miyagawa. The series is produced by FX Productions.
The first season of “Shōgun” won 18 Emmy Awards, setting the record for the most Emmy Awards by a series in a single season. It was FX’s first series to win Outstanding Drama Series. Hiroyuki Sanada became the first Japanese actor to win the Emmy for Lead Actor in a Drama Series, and Anna Sawai made history as the first actress of Asian descent to win Lead Actress in the same category. A global phenomenon, the show won numerous other awards, including the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series - Drama, AFI TV Program of the Year, and top honors from SAG, WGA, DGA, PGA, TCA, the Independent Spirit Awards, among many others.
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