Chloé Zhao Makes History With Best Director Oscar Win for ‘Nomadland'
Zhao has made history becoming just the second woman and the first woman of color to win the award
By Jonathan Landrum Jr. ••
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, Pool
Chloe Zhao arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, April 25, 2021, at Union Station in Los Angeles.
Chloé Zhaohas made history at the 2021 Academy Awards,becoming the first woman of color to win best director and just the second woman to win the award.
Zhao won the directing Oscar for “ Nomadland,” joining Kathryn Bigelow, who won in 2009 for “The Hurt Locker.”
This was the only year in the 93-year Oscar history with two female nominees: Zhao and “Promising Young Woman” director Emerald Fennell. Only seven women have ever been nominated.
Zhao's film — starring Frances McDormand — tells a story about a woman in her 60s and other transient workers in the American West.
The film is nominated for a total six awards including best actress for McDormand and best picture.
While wearing braids and sporting white tennis shoes, Zhao thanked her entire cast and crew. She called the process of creating the project a “once-in-a lifetime journey we’ve all been on together.”
Zhao paid homage to those who inspired her to “keep going.”
“This is for anyone who has the faith and the courage to hold onto the goodness in themselves and hold onto to the goodness in each other, no matter how difficult it is to do that,” she said during her acceptance speech. “This is for you. You inspire me to keep going.”
The director talked about how a game she used to play with her father challenged her.
ABC via Getty Images
"Promising Young Woman" star Carey Mulligan chose a gold Valentino dress for Sunday's Academy Awards. She was nominated for best actress.
Matt Petit/A.M.P.A.S. via Getty Images
Chloé Zhao, who won best director for her film "Nomadland," walks the red carpet with Joshua James Richards.
Chris Pizzello-Pool/Getty Images
Zendaya, star of "Euphoria," wore a yellow Valentino design.
Viola Davis wears an Alexander McQueen gown and Forevermark jewelry pieces.
Chris Pizzelo-Pool/Getty Images
Dressed in a stunning Louis Vuitton dress, Regina King arrives at the 2021 Oscars.
Chris Pizzelo-Pool/Getty Images
Andra Day, star of "The United States vs. Billie Holiday," wears a Vera Wang creation.
Chris Pizzelo-Pool/Getty Images
Amanda Seyfried donned an Armani Privé gown on the red carpet. She was nominated for best supporting actress for her role in "Mank."
"One Night in Miami..." star Leslie Odom Jr., who was nominated for best supporting actor, arrives at the Oscars.
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, Pool
Halle Berry arrives at the Academy Awards.
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, Pool
Paul Raci, left, and Liz Hanley Raci arrive at the Oscars. Paul was nominated for best supporting actor for his role in "Sound of Metal."
Youn Yuh-jung, who won best supporting actress for her role in "Minari," walks the red carpet.
Chris Pizzello-Pool/Getty Images
"The Morning Show" star Reese Witherspoon arrives at the Academy Awards.
Steven Yeun, left, and Joana Pak arrive at the Oscars. Yeun was nominated for best actor for his role in "Minari."
"Minari" star Alan S. Kim, left, and Vicky Kim show off their looks at the Oscars.
Celeste Waite, who chose a Gucci look for Sunday night's ceremony, arrives at the red carpet.
ABC via Getty Images
Maria Bakalova, dressed in a Louis Vuitton gown, was nominated for best supporting actress for her part in "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm."
ABC via Getty Images
Marlee Matlin wore a Vivienne Westwood dress Sunday night.
Getty Images
Glenn Close arrives at the Oscars. She was nominated for best supporting actress for her role in "Hillbilly Elegy."
Matt Petit/A.M.P.A.S. via Getty Images
"Judas and the Black Messiah" star Daniel Kaluuya arrives for the Academy Awards ceremony. He later won an award for best supporting actor.
Chris Pizzelo-Pool/Getty Images
Riz Ahmed, nominated for best actor for his part in "Sound of Metal," arrives for the ceremony.
AP Photo/Rick Rycroft, Pool
Sacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fisher pose for a photo during a screening of the Oscars on Monday April 26, 2021, in Sydney, Australia. The "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm" star was nominated for best supporting actor.
Chris Pizzelo-Pool/Getty Images
Singer H.E.R. walks the red carpet. She won her first Oscar Sunday night for her song "Fight for You" from "Judas and the Black Messiah."
Chris Pizzelo-Pool/Getty Images
Vanessa Kirby, nominated for best actress for her role in "Pieces of a Woman," wore a Gucci gown.
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, Pool
Attendees prepare for the beginning of the Oscars.
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, Pool
A step-and-repeat backdrop for the Academy Awards red carpet is pictured at Union Station, one of the locations for Sunday’s 93rd Academy Awards.
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, Pool
An Oscar statue design on a red carpet backdrop is pictured at Union Station.
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, Pool
A view of the red carpet appears before the start of the Oscars.
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
A fake Oscar statue is pictured in the window of a gift shop on Hollywood Blvd., Thursday, April 15, 2021, in Los Angeles.
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
A sign advertising this year’s Oscars ceremony is pictured near the Dolby Theatre, Thursday, April 15, 2021, in Los Angeles.
“I’ve been thinking a lot lately of how I keep going when things get hard,” she said. “I think it goes back to when I was a kid, when I was growing up in China, my dad and I used to play this game. We would memorize Chinese poems and texts. We would recite them together and try to finish each other’s sentences.”
It was the first Oscar for the 39-year-old Zhao, who was born in Beijing and went to college and film school in the United States. “Nomadland” was her third feature.
Zhao said she was also inspired by phrase that comes from a Chinese text “The Three Character Classic,” which she said translated to “People at birth are inherently good.” She said that phrase had a major impact on her as a kid, as she still stands firm on the words.
“I still truly believe them today, even though sometimes it may seem like the opposite is true,” she said. “But I have always found goodness in the people I met, everywhere I went in the world.”
The other nominees were Lee Isaac Chung for “Minari,” Thomas Vinterberg for “Another Round,” and David Fincher for “Mank.”
