“Shōgun” Star Hiroyuki Sanada on Breaking Emmys Record and Why Japanese Period Drama Was a 'Gamble' (Exclusive)

Before the Emmys main telecast, 'Shōgun' already made history with 14 wins, the most for a single season of any show

Shōgun producer and star Hiroyuki Sanada is still in disbelief over the show's success.

The Japanese period drama has already won 14 Emmys at the Creative Arts Emmys — the most for a single season of any show, and that's before the Emmy Awards main ceremony on Sept. 15. Shōgun broke the record previously set by 2008 limited series John Adams’ 13 wins.

During Sunday's telecast, Sanada is vying for two more awards: outstanding lead actor in a drama series for his role as Lord Yoshii Toranaga and outstanding drama series as a producer.

"I'm so happy to be nominated," Sanada, 63, exclusively told PEOPLE at Gold House and Macro's One House Toast to the Emmys event on Thursday, Sept. 12. "The crew already got the award. It's amazing. It's a lot. Just being nominated for an Emmy itself — I'm so happy."

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If Sanada wins the acting award, he will be the first actor of Japanese descent to win in the category and only the second Asian actor ever, following Lee Jung-jae's win for Squid Game in 2022.

"I couldn't have imagined these kinds of things happening during the shooting," the producer/actor said. "For me, it was a gamble."

"Because the show has 70 percent Japanese dialogue and then subtitles," Sanada explained. "Can people enjoy a 1600s feudal Japan story? But surprisingly, we got a great reaction. And also this nomination. So it's like I'm in a dream of dreams."

On Sunday, Shōgun is also a contender in these drama categories: outstanding lead actress, outstanding supporting actor, outstanding directing and outstanding writing.

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The FX series has already been renewed for two additional seasons, and Sanada shared where his character, modeled off real-life shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, will go.

"We have real history so we know what happens [to Toranaga]," he said. "We know what he does and how he dies. I'd love to show his life — what he did to Japan and how he created a peaceful era after the war era. That's an important message to me."

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But some unexpected twists may come as well, given future seasons of Shōgunexpand past its source material, James Clavell's 1975 novel of the same name.

"We have great writers and no more novels, so they have freedom," Sanada said of the creative team. "A mixture of creation and real history. Of course it's international entertainment so let's see how we can create an original script and share it with the world."

The 76th Primetime Emmy Awards, hosted by Dan Levy and Eugene Levy, will air live on Sunday, Sept. 15, at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT on ABC.

Come back to PEOPLE to see full coverage of the Emmy Awards, and be sure to join PEOPLE and Entertainment Weekly's Live Red Carpet show beginning at 6 p.m. ET/ 3 p.m. PT.

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