Chloé Zhao secured her place at the forefront of modern cinema on Sunday night as her latest film, Hamnet, won best motion picture drama at the Golden Globes. The victory for the Focus Features production followed a win earlier in the evening for star Jessie Buckley, who was named best actress in a drama for her portrayal of Agnes.
Producer Steven Spielberg, who joined Zhao on stage to accept the award, revealed that the project began when director Sam Mendes sent him the original novel by Maggie O’Farrell. Spielberg told the audience that his choice for director was immediate.
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“I loved the book, but I felt there was really only one filmmaker on the face of the planet who could tell the story of Agnes and Will and the spirits of the earth and the forest,” Spielberg said. “And that was the exceptional, exceptional, exceptional Chloé Zhao.”
A focus on vulnerability
Taking the microphone, Zhao delivered a speech that centered on the emotional demands of the creative process. She shared a conversation she had earlier that day with the film’s lead, Paul Mescal, about the nature of being an artist.
“He said that making Hamnet made him realize that the most important thing of being an artist is learning to be vulnerable enough to allow ourselves to be seen for who we are now,” Zhao told the room.
She continued to explain that this vulnerability involves showing the world the parts of ourselves that are imperfect or frightening. According to Zhao, this openness allows the audience to “also learn to see themselves and fully accept themselves.”
Saluting fellow filmmakers
Zhao also used her time on stage to address her peers in the industry. She specifically pointed out fellow nominee Ryan Coogler and spoke about the long relationships she has maintained with many in the room.
“I see so many of you have become so strong and tender at the same time, and you have shared so much of yourselves in your work to the world,” Zhao said. “So I salute to your bravery, and I salute your dedication. And let’s do this together. Let’s keep our hearts open, and let’s keep seeing each other, and let’s keep allowing ourselves to be seen.”
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The win for Hamnet capped off a competitive night where the film was nominated alongside titles such as Frankenstein, Sinners, and The Secret Agent. While Zhao lost the best director trophy to Paul Thomas Anderson, the top prize for Hamnet confirms her standing as a director capable of handling intimate, complex stories on a grand scale.
Noah Jupe, Nicolas Gonda, Maggie O’Farrell, Pippa Harris, Joe Alwyn, Chloé Zhao, Steven Spielberg, Max Richter, Liza Marshall, Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, and Jacobi Jupe, winners of the Best Motion Picture – Drama Award for “Hamnet,” pose in the press room during the 83rd… pic.twitter.com/iRsaHgdVUv
— Getty Images Entertainment (@GettyVIP) January 12, 2026
