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Oscars 2021: Chloé Zhao and Emerald Fennell make history as two women nominated for best director in same year

Directors Chloé Zhao and Emerald Fennell have made Oscars history after 2021 nominations saw two women nomintated in the same year for the best director gong.

Fennell (Promising Young Woman) and Zhao (Nomadland) are in the running against Thomas Vinterberg (Another Round), David Fincher (Mank) and Lee Isaac Chung (Minari).

Only five women have ever been nominated for best director and only one woman has ever won the coveted award – Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker in 2010.

Zhao also makes history as the first Chinese-American woman nominated. In fact, she is the first woman of color to land a nod in the category.

The exciting news comes just weeks after the director became the first-ever Asian filmmaker to bag the best director Golden Globe award, and the second female to do so in the award show’s history.

Naturally, fans and critics alike were delighted to see history made with the Oscars nominations.

film director Chloe Zhao
Nomadland Chloe Zhao has made Oscars nominations history (Picture: EPA)
Director Emerald Fennell
Both Zhao and Emerald Fennell have been nominated in the Best Director category – the first time two women have landed a nod in the same year (Picture: Rich Polk/Getty Images for IMDb)

One wrote: ‘TWO WOMEN FOR BEST DIRECTING???? LEE ISAAC CHUNG for MINARI?? Oh my god.’

Another added: ‘Two women are nominated for Best Director! Yaaaaaaaasssss!!!! Congratulations.’

One film lover tweeted: ‘or the first time, two women have been nominated for Best Direction in 93 years of history of Oscars. First time. Two women. In 93 years. Read that again.’

The Oscars will take place in multiple locations, including its usual home at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

The ceremony has been rescheduled from its previous date of February 28 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The date change means there has been a temporary change to the Oscar’s eligibility criteria, with the December 31 deadline extended to February 28.

Films released up until that date will now qualify for recognition by the awarding body.

The 93rd Academy Awards is due to take place on April 25, 2021.

Oscars 2021 nominations

Best Picture

The Father

Judas and the Black Messiah

Mank

Minari

Nomadland

Promising Young Woman

Sound of Metal

The Trial of the Chicago 7

Director

Thomas Vinterberg  – Another Round

David Fincher – Mank

Lee Isaac Chung – Minari

Chloe Zhao – Nomadland

Emerald Fennell – Promising Young Woman

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

Carey Mulligan – Promising Young Woman

Actor in a Leading Role

Riz Ahmed – Sound of Metal

Chadwick Boseman – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Anthony Hopkins – The Father

Gary Oldman – Mank

Steven Yeun – Minari

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

Actor in a supporting role

Sacha Baron Cohen – The Trial of the Chicago 7

Daniel Kaluuya – Judas and the Black Messiah

Leslie Odom Jr – One Night In Miami

Paul Raci – Sound of Metal

Lakeith Stanfield – Judas and the Black Messiah

Best costume design

Emma

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Mank

Mulan

Pinnochio

Best original score

Da 5 Bloods

Mank

Minari

News of the World

Soul

Best adapted screenplay

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

The Father

Nomadland

One Night In Miami

The White Tiger

Best original screenplay

Judas and the Black Messiah

Minari

Promising Young Woman

Sound of Metal

The Trial of the Chicago 7

Animated short film

Burrow

Genius Loci

If Anything Happens I Love You

Opera

Yes-People

Live action short film

Feeling Through

The Letter Room

The Present

Two Distant Strangers

White Eye

Documentary feature

Collective

Crip Camp

The Mole Agent

My Octopus Teacher

Time

Documentary short subject

Colette

A Concierto is a Conversation

Do Not Split

Hunger Ward

A Love Song for Latasha

International Feature Film

Another Round – Denmark

Better Days – Hong Kong

Collective – Romania

The Man Who Sold His Skin – Tunisia

Quo Vadis, Aida?

Sound

Greyhound

Mank

News of the World

Soul

Sound of Metal

Production Design

The Father

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Mank

News of the World

Tenet

Film editing

The Father

Nomadland

Promising Young Woman

Sound of Metal

The Trial of the Chicago 7

Cinematography

Judas and the Black Messiah

Mank

News of the World

Nomadland

The Trial of the Chicago 7

Visual Effects

Love and Monsters

The Midnight Sky

Mulan

The One and Only Ivan

Tenet

Makeup and hairstyling

Emma

Hillbilly Elegy

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Mank

Pinocchio

Animated feature film

Onward

Over the Moon

A Shaun The Sheep Movie: Farmageddon

Soul

Wolfwalkers

Original song

Fight For You – Judas and the Black Messiah

Hear My Voice – The Trial of the Chicago 7

Husavik – Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga

Io Si (Seen) – The Life Ahead

Speak Now – One Night in Miami

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