“Shōgun” star Anna Sawai wouldn't want her kids in J-Pop industry: 'That made me lose confidence in myself'

The Emmy-nominated breakout star of "Shōgun" revisits her days as a member of J-Pop group FAKY.

Anna Sawai does not miss her days as a Japanese pop star.

Before her turn in Hollywood, the Emmy-nominated breakout star of the historical epic Shōgunbegan her career as lead vocalist of J-Pop girl group FAKY in 2013, following her sophomore year in college. Though appreciative of the experience, Sawai said she would "never recommend" that arc to anyone — particularly, her future children.

"’I would not want my kids — if I have kids in the future — to do that," Sawai said in a new W Magazine cover story.

Related: Shōgun actress on shocking, explosive death: ‘She was going to go full-out’

"For those 10 years, I was taught to listen more than say anything," she said of the experience. "That made me lose confidence in myself. I’m having to unlearn a lot of the things that I was taught, which is kind of unfortunate and hard to do when you’re in your 30s. Maybe if I hadn’t had that experience, I would have had a shortcut to being comfortable with the way I am and unapologetically myself.”

The strict regime seeped into how she navigated her acting career. "When I was entering the industry, I would always go to my agents and be like, ‘What should I do?’' Sawai recalled, sharing that it was an experience she'd want to adapt for the screen.

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“It feels long ago enough, like it was a different person,” she said. “Now I feel it’s important that I tell the story of my J-Pop days. I don’t know if it would be me producing it or just me as an actor, but I’m ready for it.”

Sawai's unexpected pop star past came to light during her press tour for Shōgun, a drama about the political games at the center of feudal Japan adapted from James Clavell's 1975 novel of the same name. Her role as Lady Mariko, a translator with a troubled past, earned her her first Emmy nomination at the upcoming ceremony on Sept. 15.

Related: The Shot: Inside Mariko's intense Shōgun showdown

During an appearance on Seth Meyers' late night show last month, Sawai revealed that FAKY was an acronym for Five Ass-Kicking Youngsters, sharing anecdotes about her extensive training process that involved dancing and also model walking. Speaking with Entertainment Weekly for The Awardist earlier this year, Sawai said she remained grateful for the experience no matter how polarizing it once was.

"Prior to even joining the group, my team knew that I wanted to act," she shared. "And when I did join, I found out that it wasn't really going to be possible. I felt like I wasn't in control of my own career and knew that I had to make the choice to leave if I wanted to pursue acting. It was also a tough time, but because I couldn't freely audition for things, now when things are hard, I'm able to really put in the work. And without really good work ethic, I think a project like Shōgun, a role like Mariko would not have been possible for me to play. So I'm grateful for the experience."

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.