Chloé Zhao has secured her place in Academy Award history after being nominated for best director for her period drama Hamnet. The 43-year-old director is now the second woman to be nominated more than once for the award, joining New Zealander Jane Campion in a very small group of female filmmakers.
The nominations for the 98th Oscars, announced on Thursday, saw Zhao’s adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s novel pick up eight nods in total. While the historical tragedy performed well across several categories, Zhao’s personal recognition in the directing race stands out as a significant milestone for the industry.
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Following Jane Campion
Until this year, Jane Campion was the only woman to have earned two best director nominations. She was first recognized for The Piano in 1994 and later won the trophy for The Power of the Dog in 2022.
Zhao, who was born in Beijing, previously won the award in 2021 for Nomadland. That win made her the first woman of colour to take home the prize. This year, she is the only female filmmaker on the best director shortlist.
Writing and directing success
Zhao also received a nomination for best adapted screenplay for Hamnet, sharing the recognition with the book’s author, Maggie O’Farrell. The pair are the only women represented in that category this year.
The film, which stars Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, tells a fictionalised story of the life and death of William Shakespeare’s only son. Buckley has emerged as a favourite for the best actress category, though Mescal was a notable omission from the supporting actor list.
Zhao faces a tough field for the best director prize. She is nominated alongside Ryan Coogler for Sinners, Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another, Josh Safdie for Marty Supreme, and Joachim Trier for Sentimental Value.
Sinners led the morning with a record-breaking 16 nominations, the highest number for a single film in the history of the Oscars.
The 98th Academy Awards ceremony will take place on 15 March at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Conan O’Brien is set to return as the host for the evening.
