Chloe Zhao is the first Asian woman to win the Golden Globe for Best Director

(Image credit: Amanda Edwards / Getty Images)

By Laura Harman 2021-03-01T16:59:11Z

Chloe Zhao, the director of Nomadland, has won the prestigious Golden Globe award for best director of a motion picture, making her the first Asian woman to win the award.

At the 2021 Golden Globe awards ceremony, Chloe Zhao became the first Asian woman to win the Golden Globe for best director of a motion picture.

This was the first time in Golden Globe history that more women directors were nominated than men directors. In the past 77 years, only eight women directors have been nominated for this award. This was also only the second time that a woman has won this prestigious award.

The last woman to win the Golden Globe for best director of a motion picture was Barbra Streisand. Barbra took to Twitter to share her delight that another woman had won the award since her 1984 triumph for directing Yentl. Barbra Streisand wrote her praises on Twitter, “It’s about time! Congratulations Chloé! Well deserved!”

It’s about time! Congratulations Chloé! Well deserved!March 1, 2021

The other nominees were Emerald Fennell for Promising Young Woman, David Fincher for Mank, Regina King for One Night in Miami, Aaron Sorkin for The Trial of the Chicago 7.

Nomadland was also nominated for various other awards and won Best Picture in the drama category. A lead cast member of Nomadland, Frances McDormand was nominated for best actress in a drama but lost out to Andra Day for her performance in The United States vs. Billie Holiday. Chloe Zhao was also nominated for Best Screenplay for Nomadland but was beaten by Aaron Sorkin with his screenplay for The Trial of the Chicago 7.

Fans have taken to Twitter to share their delight that Chloe Zhao has won this prestigious award. One fan said, “the last and only time a woman won Best Director at the golden globes was 38 years ago... Chloé Zhao made history being the second woman director and first Asian to win that award y’all BOW DOWN TO THE QUEEN!! and support women directors.”

Other fans were excited by the win but disappointed with Hollywood for taking so long to recognize the talent of people of color and women. One fan said, “it's exciting that Chloé Zhao has won, but it's shameful that she and Barbra are the only women who have won because there are many, many women who have deserved it as well.”