History-Making Oscar Winner Chloé Zhao: Her Flourishing Career in Photos

Zhao joined Promising Young Woman's Emerald Fennell and One Night in Miami's Regina King as part of a historic group of women directors nominated for best director at the 2021 Golden Globes. It was the first time ever more than one woman had been nominated in the best director category, and Zhao was also the first woman of Asian descent to ever be recognized in the directing category.

Her win made her just the second female best director ever, and first female of Asian descent to score the award. She also nabbed the best director award at the April 22 Film Independent Spirit Awards, where four of the five nominees were women for the first time ever. She won best director at the BAFTA awards, too, two weeks prior.