Over his three-decade-plus screen career, Tadanobu Asano has established himself in his native Japan as a master of a particular kind of character: morally compromised, filled with surprises, and fantastically entertaining. But most American audiences were playing catch up to his skills when FX’s Shōgun began airing on Hulu this past winter. Early marketing and buzz had (rightly) promised breakout performances from leads Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai; plenty of attention was paid to Cosmo Jarvis too, as he stepped into a meaty role originated by Richard Chamberlain. Yet it only took one episode of the series for less familiar viewers to fall in a complicated kind of love with Asano’s Yabushige.

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As Shōgun’s ultimate, gleeful double-crosser, Asano quickly emerged as a highlight in a show full of them. The star approached this often heavy material with a diabolically light touch—until Shōgun season one’s final two episodes, when Yabushige’s many betrayals caught up with him in gut-wrenching fashion.

Western audiences’ introduction to Asano, who also starred in the recent Mortal Kombat movie and Martin Scorsese’s Silence, should mark the beginning of another exciting chapter in an already decorated international career. With his first Emmy nomination under his belt, he’s already got his eye on what might come next.

Vanity Fair: You and your cast came to LA as part of Shōgun’s awards campaign. What was that experience like, to be back with your costars after so much excitement?

Tadanobu Asano: It was really fun. In Japan, there’s no Emmys. There’s nothing like an FYC event that they do in the US. I was also so surprised that an event that big could rally around just one show. Who knows what’ll happen [at the Emmys], but I’m just really excited to be reunited again with everyone.

Let’s go back to the beginning. What were your initial impressions this show, and how did you prepare?

I initially heard about Shōgun even before FX had it—it was a different production company. And even at that level, I had an impression that it was going to be a big production. When I was cast, I didn’t do any research about the actual historical character that Yabushige is based on. I also purposefully did not watch the previous Shōgun, and I really entered into the project with a blank slate. I got all my information from the script, and from the get-go, I knew this guy was not a good guy. [Laughs] Thinking back, it was not an easy shoot, but it was definitely worth all those very, at times treacherous, and very challenging shoot days.

What about the shoot was particularly difficult or challenging for you?

There were a lot of physical things going on, especially at the beginning—like falling off a cliff. [Laughs] A lot of stunts were involved. And on the personal side, what was challenging was being in Vancouver for eight months. It was mostly raining, and I just wasn’t used to that kind of environment. We all try to find little moments of time to relax, but I didn’t have that. But it actually worked for me in the Yabushige role. Despite not having to be able to relieve any stress, it worked for the character.

The series is an American-driven production, but takes care to accurately represent Japanese culture of the time. How did you observe that, and contribute to that?

I would definitely attribute that to the combined efforts of [creator] Justin [Marks] and [Hiroyuki] Sanada-san, because they really were very thoughtful and thorough about trying to communicate all these Japanese sensibilities for a non-Japanese audience. I would have an idea on set that I would bring to Justin, and there would be a rewrite that would happen. Justin didn’t grow up in Japan, but he understands that Japanese sense, and it was great that I could do that with him. They were really, really thoughtful about how to make it more accessible to a non-Japanese audience in that way. We were all contributing continuously.

Can you talk a little bit about your relationship with Hiro? You’ve worked together on projects before, and I’m curious about that particular element of what you’re talking about, of his really guiding this production.

When I first worked with Hiro, he was the main character of the film, and I was 19 years old—he was already such a big star. He’s the older brother, kind of, in our relationship. And so when Hiro left for the US, I feel that he really was really creating a path for the rest of us. I kind of consider myself as just a follower. [Laughs] I’m just extremely lucky that he’s my big brother.

I know it’s just a television show, but when you say that, I think of the last scene between your characters, Yabushige and Toranaga—which is a goodbye, essentially. There has to be some real emotion there, right?

Yeah. We’ve had a very long relationship, but it’s been infrequent, when we were able to work together. It’s been more watching each other, watching each other’s careers in parallel from afar. Because of that, that last scene was the accumulation of our relationship. It’s because of our specific relationship that it feels that way. No one else could have done that scene that way, because of our relationship.

Yabushige is the latest in a long line of morally complex characters for you. Back in Japan, you’re known for taking on these kinds of roles. Do you seek them out?

Honestly, it hasn’t been of my choosing. I’m actually in the place I want to ask that question to the universe. [Laughs] It’s an absolute mystery to me. At this point, I’ve been thinking maybe it’s my face. Some people have pointed out that when I’m not saying anything, I look like someone where you can’t predict what they’re thinking. So maybe it’s that. [Laughs]

How do you get inside their headspace?

I really pay attention to how people see me when I’m not there. In the case of Yabushige, when he is not in the scene, they’re talking about, “Oh, Yabushige killed so-and-so. Oh, Yabushige lied to Toranaga,” and things like that. That’s where I read between the lines: “Why are they saying that?” Then I fold that into Yabushige. When I was around 22, 23 years old, a lot of things were by feeling. When I was trying to be realistic or ground things, I was doing it by emotion—so it came easier to me. Now, my process brings me a lot deeper into the role. Neither is better or worse, it’s just where I’m at right now.

Are there any directors you have on your list that you’d love to work with?

[Quickly] Christopher Nolan! Christopher Nolan.

This interview was conducted over Zoom via a Japanese language interpreter, and has been edited and condensed.