2021 Oscars: Chloe Zhao becomes first woman of color to win Best Director for Nomadland

Chloe Zhao made history at the 93rd Academy Awards on Sunday.   

The Beijing, China native became the first woman of color to win the Best Director award for her drama film Nomadland, which she also wrote, edited and produced.

She would also go on to accept the Best Picture Oscar, alongside some of the cast, crew and producers.

Her trailblazing evening also included becoming the first woman to get four Oscar nominations in a single year, that also included the Best Film Editing and Best Adapted Screenplay categories. 

History! Chloe Zhao, 39, became the first woman of color, and second woman overall, to win the Best Director Oscar at the 93rd Academy Awards on Sunday

Zhao, whose first feature film was 2015’s Songs My Brothers Taught Me, is also now just the second woman to ever win the Oscar for directing; Kathryn Bigelow was the first for The Hurt Locker (2009).

She beat out a field that included Thomas Vinterberg for Another Round, David Fincher for Mank, Lee Isaac Chung for Minari, and Emerald Fennell for Promising Young Woman.  

Nomadland, starring Frances McDormand, focuses on the lives of older Americans who live and travel in their vehicles, mainly due to economic reasons, as modern-day nomads. 

Like her debut feature film, the Nomadland cast had a number of real-life nomads.

Making her mark: Her trailblazing evening also included becoming the first woman to get four Oscar nominations in a single year with the Best Director, Best Picture, Best Film Editing and Best Adapted Screenplay categories.

Making her mark: Her trailblazing evening also included becoming the first woman to get four Oscar nominations in a single year with the Best Director, Best Picture, Best Film Editing and Best Adapted Screenplay categories.

Gratitude: Zhoao also gave thanks for being able to finish the enormous task of completing Nomadland

Heartfelt: The director recited a particular phrase  she read with her father as a child that translates to 'people at birth were inherently good',

Emotional: In accepting the Oscar for Best Director, Zhao choose to focus on the goodness of people, by telling a story of a childhood memory she had with her father growing up in China

After thanking the Academy and her fellow nominees, Zhoa directed her thoughts to the enormous task of finishing Nomadland. 

‘What a crazy, one in a life journey, we went on together,’ she said of the experience.

She also revealed how she’s been ‘thinking a lot late about how I keep going when things get hard. And I think it goes back to something I learned when I was a kid.’

Giving thanks to her father, Zhao proceeded to tell a story of when she was growing up in China she and her dad would play a game where they would memorize classic Chinese poems and texts and recite them together.

One particular phrase, which translates to ‘people at birth were inherently good’, has stuck on her mind throughout the years. 

Dedication: 'So this is for anyone who has the faith and the courage to hold on to the goodness in themselves,' Zhao said as grabbed ahold of her Oscar trophy

Dedication: ‘So this is for anyone who has the faith and the courage to hold on to the goodness in themselves,’ Zhao said as grabbed ahold of her Oscar trophy

Stylin': The Beijing, China-born filmmaker wore a long dress and raven tresses braided down on both sides while on the red carpet at Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles

Stylin’: The Beijing, China-born filmmaker wore a long dress and raven tresses braided down on both sides while on the red carpet at Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles

‘And those six letters had such a great impact on me when I was a kid. And I still truly believe them today,’ the 39-year-old explained.

‘Even though sometimes it may seem like the opposite is true. But I have always found goodness in the people I met everywhere I met in the world.’ 

Humbled by the accolade, and her history-making night at the Oscars, Zhao concluded by sharing a heartfelt message to her fellow humans all over the globe.  

‘So this is for anyone who has the faith and the courage to hold on to the goodness in themselves,’ she said as grabbed ahold of her Oscar trophy.

‘And to hold on to the goodness in each other. No matter how difficult it is to do that. And this is for you, you inspire me to keep going. Thank you.’ 

In a nod of respect, the director hit the red carpet before the ceremony with real-life nomad Charlene Swankie, who appeared in the Oscar-nominated motion picture.         

Nod of respect: The director hit the red carpet before the ceremony with real-life nomad Charlene Swankie, who appeared in the Oscar-nominated motion picture

Nod of respect: The director hit the red carpet before the ceremony with real-life nomad Charlene Swankie, who appeared in the Oscar-nominated motion picture

93RD ACADEMY AWARDS WINNERS

Best Picture

The Father

Judas and the Black Messiah

Mank

Minari

Nomadland – WINNER

Promising Young Woman

Sound of Metal

The Trial of the Chicago 7

Best Picture: The Trial of the Chicago 7 is one of the eight films nominated

Best Picture: The Trial of the Chicago 7 is one of the eight films nominated

 

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Viola Davis – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Andra Day – The United States vs Billie Holiday

Vanessa Kirby – Pieces of a Woman

Frances McDormand – Nomadland – WINNER

Carey Mulligan – Promising Young Woman

 

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Maria Bakalova – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

Glenn Close – Hillbilly Elegy

Olivia Colman – The Father

Amanda Seyfried – Mank

Youn Yuh-jung – Minari – WINNER

Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Olivia Colman is up for her role in The Father

Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Olivia Colman is up for her role in The Father

Best Music (Original Score)

Da 5 Bloods

Mank

Minari

News of the World

Soul – WINNER

 

Best Animated Short Film

Burrow

Genius Loci

If Anything Happens I Love You – WINNER

Opera

Yes-People

 

Best Live Action Short Film

Feeling Through

The Letter Room

The Present

Two Distant Strangers

White Eye

 

Best International Feature Film

Another Round – WINNER

Better Days

Collective

The Man Who Sold His Skin

Quo Vadis, Aida?

Best Sound: Greyhound - a war film starring Tom Hanks - is up for the gong

Best Sound: Greyhound – a war film starring Tom Hanks – is up for the gong 

Best Sound

Greyhound

Mank

News of the World

Soul

Sound of Metal  – WINNER

 

Best Cinematography

Judas and the Black Messiah

Mank – WINNER

News of the World

Nomadland

The Trial of the Chicago 7  

 

Best Music (Original Song)

H.E.R. – Fight for You – Judas and the Black Messiah – WINNER

Hear My Voice – The Trial of the Chicago 7

Husavik – Eurovision Song Contest

Io Si (Seen) – The Life Ahead

Speak Now – One Night in Miami…

Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is vying for the award

Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is vying for the award

 Best Director  

Thomas Vinterberg – Another Round

David Fincher – Mank

Lee Isaac Chung – Minari

Chloé Zhao – Nomadland – WINNER

Emerald Fennell – Promising Young Woman

 

Best Actor in a Leading Role

Riz Ahmed – Sound of Metal 

 Anthony Hopkins – The Father – WINNER

Chadwick Boseman – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom 

Gary Oldman – Mank

Steven Yeun – Minari 

 

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Sacha Baron Cohen – The Trial of the Chicago 7

Daniel Kaluuya – Judas and the Black Messiah – WINNER

Leslie Odom, Jr. – One Night in Miami…

Paul Raci – Sound of Metal

Lakeith Stanfield – Judas and the Black Messiah

 

Best Animated Feature Film

Onward

Over the Moon

A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon

Soul – WINNER

Wolfwalkers

Best Animated Feature Film:  A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon is nominated

Best Animated Feature Film:  A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon is nominated

Best Costume Design

Emma

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom – WINNER

Mank

Mulan

Pinnochio

 

Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

The Father – WINNER

Nomadland

One Night in Miami…

The White Tiger

 

Best Writing (Original Screenplay)

Emerald Fennell – Promising Young Woman – WINNER

Shaka King and Will Berson – Judas and the Black Messiah

Lee Isaac Chung – Minari

Darius Marder and Abraham Marder – Sound of Metal

 Aaron Sorkin – The Trial of the Chicago 7

 

 

Best Documentary Feature

Collective

Crip Camp

The Mole Agent

My Octopus Teacher – WINNER

Time

Best Writing (Original Screenplay): Judas and the Black Messiah is up for the gong

Best Writing (Original Screenplay): Judas and the Black Messiah is up for the gong

Best Documentary Short Subject

Colette – WINNER

A Concerto Is a Conversation

Do Not Split

Hunger Ward

A Love Song for Latasha

 

Best Film Editing

The Father

Nomadland

Promising Young Woman

Sound of Metal – WINNER

The Trial of the Chicago 7

 

Best Production Design

The Father

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Mank – WINNER

News of the World

Tenet

 

Best Visual Effects

Love and Monsters

The Midnight Sky

Mulan

The One and Only Ivan

Tenet – WINNER

 

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Emma

Hillbilly Elegy

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom – WINNER

Mank

Pinocchio