Hiroyuki Sanada (‘Shōgun’): 2024 Emmys episode submission revealed

Gold Derby can exclusively reveal that Hiroyuki Sanada is entering the “Shōgun” episode “The Abyss of Life” as his 2024 Emmy Award submission for Best Drama Actor. “The Abyss of Life” aired on April 9, 2024, and is the eighth episode of the FX drama’s first season.

In “The Abyss of Life”: Toranaga (Sanada) and his army travel to Edo to prepare for Nagakado’s (Yuki Kura) funeral and 49 days of mourning. Alvito (Tommy Bastow) suggests to Toranaga that he should ally with Ochiba (Fumi Nikaido) and overthrow Ishido (Takehiro Hira), but Toranaga tells the priest to inform Ishido that he will formally surrender. Buntaro (Shinnosuke Abe) and Mariko (Anna Sawai) have a tea ceremony, where he proposes that they commit suicide to protest Toranaga’s surrender, but Mariko refuses. Toranaga’s vassals sign their names to a formal letter of surrender, but Hiromatsu (Tokuma Nishioka) commits “seppuku” in defiance. Toranaga reveals to Mariko that Hiromatsu committed suicide to make his enemies believe his defeat was real. Toranaga asks Mariko to travel on his behalf to Osaka. The next morning, at the resting place of his son, Toranaga thanks Nagakado and Hiromatsu and vows not to waste the time they bought him. “The Abyss of Life” was written by Shannon Goss and directed by Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour.

SEE 2024 Gold Derby TV Awards nominations complete list: ‘The Bear’ and ‘Shogun’ lead

“Shōgun” received 25 Emmy nominations this year, including Best Drama Series, along with bids for five of its actors as well as writing and directing.

This year marks the first Emmy nomination for Sanada. For this 2024 contest, he is competing against Idris Elba (“Hijack”), Donald Glover (“Mr. and Mrs. Smith”), Walton Goggins (“Fallout”), Gary Oldman (“Slow Horses”) and Dominic West (“The Crown”).

For a complete list of all episode submissions announced so far, join our special discussion in the Gold Derby forums. Television Academy voters are asked to watch each of the episodes submitted for that category before marking their ballots.

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