Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada's star turn in "Shogun" earned him a nomination for the Emmys, which take place Sunday, but he was also a driving force behind the huge success of the TV series as co-producer.

It is the first time in Sanada's nearly six-decade career, in which he rose to fame in action blockbusters, that he has taken on a double role in front of and behind the camera.

The 63-year-old is credited with bringing a new level of cultural and historical authenticity to the period drama set in feudal Japan after decades of hit-and-miss Western interpretations.