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Anna Sawai | Source: Getty Images
Anna Sawai | Source: Getty Images

Anna Sawai's Parents Are Japanese – Her Mom Taught Her to Sing

Naomi Wanjala
Sep 14, 2023
07:15 P.M.

Anna Sawai's parents have lived their lives away from the limelight. While rarely seen publicly, they have supported their daughter's goals and dreams. Both their children have carved their paths in the entertainment industry.

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Anna Sawai's parents moved a lot while raising their daughters. One of their daughters said the longest they ever stayed in a place was four years. Even though her parents prefer living away from the spotlight, they have been instrumental in their daughters' careers.

Anna Sawai's mom taught her how to sing and encouraged her to pursue an acting career at a young age. She also supported the actress and singer's sister with her ballet dancing profession.

Anna Sawai at Fairmont Century Plaza on January 15, 2023, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images

Anna Sawai at Fairmont Century Plaza on January 15, 2023, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images

Facts about Anna Sawai's Parents

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Anna's parents raised her in different places, including Hong Kong, New Zealand, Japan, and the Philippines, due to the nature of her father's work. He worked with an electronics company, which required them to move a lot.

On the other hand, the actress's mother was an opera student, and her mother imparted her with singing lessons. Her valuable training ultimately paid off. At 11, Anna secured the lead role in a Nippon-TV "Annie" production, surpassing 9,000 other children in the audition.

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Three years later, she took a significant step in her career by enrolling in a J-pop boot camp organized by Avex, a prominent entertainment group known for producing some of Japan's most renowned dance acts.

Anna shared a rare photo of her mother while celebrating her birthday, accompanied by a heartfelt tribute.

Anna's parents are both Japanese. Even though they moved a lot, they still live in Japan. Anna's sister, Reina Sawai, revealed during an interview that they moved around every three or four years, and the longest she lived in Japan was from age 12 to 18.

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Anna Sawai's Mother Has Been Supportive of Her Children's Careers

Anna's parents have two children. Their other daughter, Reina, is a ballet dancer and a world traveler. Even though her parents gave birth to her in Wellington, New Zealand, she has gone on to train in different countries, including Portugal, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Japan.

Reina has had the chance to dance professionally with ballet companies in Europe and other parts of the world. She began ballet classes at four while living with her parents in Japan. Her mother was also a piano teacher, which played a crucial role in shaping her career path.

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As of 2022, Anna lived with her mother in a three-bedroom apartment in Tokyo, Japan. Her mother has also been instrumental in her acting career. She encouraged the multi-faceted artist to pursue acting at a young age, with Anna making her film debut in the 2009 action crime film, "Ninja Assassin."

Her parents are rarely spotted in public or on social media. However, in 2020, Anna shared a rare photo of her mother while celebrating her birthday, accompanied by a heartfelt tribute. She wrote, "Celebrating as we speak, but that won't stop me from sharing my love for you with the world🥰. Thank you for being born❤️."

Anna is an accomplished actress, having worked on several projects, including "Ninja Assasin," "Pachinko," and "F9," in which she co-starred with Michelle Rodriguez, Vin Diesel, and John Cena, among others.

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