Oscar Winner Reveals Three Directors Who Shaped Her Vision
The groundbreaking filmmaker behind Nomadland opens up about the cinematic masters who transformed her approach to storytelling, from spiritual elevation to descending into life's darkest depths.
When Chloé Zhao claimed the Best Director Oscar for Nomadland, she broke barriers as the first woman of color to win the award in nearly a century of Academy history. After venturing into Marvel territory with Eternals, the director returned to her artistic roots with Hamnet, a Golden Globe winner that examines grief's devastating impact on creativity. The film captures both transcendent beauty and raw anguish.
The Spiritual Heights of Terrence Malick
Zhao credits three filmmakers as her primary mentors, each offering distinct wisdom. Terrence Malick tops this list, particularly through The Tree of Life's profound influence on her work. "For me, the tree of life has the highest branches that reach to the heavens, and then you've got the trunk in the middle, and then you've got the roots that reach all the way down into the void," she explained to Little White Lies.
Malick's philosophical approach resonates deeply with Zhao's personal storytelling style. "I can tell that he's trying to reach up as high as possible to the heavens. You really feel the elevation watching his film. And that's why they are so spiritual," she added. The Tree of Life creates an unforgettable experience that simultaneously elevates viewers while grounding them in human connection and memory.
Herzog's Reality-Fiction Balance
Werner Herzog represents Zhao's second mentor, bridging documentary and narrative filmmaking with equal mastery. His documentary Into the Abyss particularly moved her. "That's what the genius of Werner Herzog is, it's always about more. It shows you how much life can shock you, and how magnificent it is to be alive in the most bittersweet way," she told Google TV.
"I have three mentors, Terry, Werner [Herzog] and Ang Lee. And something has evolved in the last few years, which is how deep can we go to descend into the underworld, to the realms of the deluge, because that is also where the scarab beetle is. That is also part of The Tree of Life," Zhao continued.
Ang Lee's Cultural Bridge
Ang Lee, sharing Chinese heritage with Zhao, rounds out her mentor trio. His diverse filmography spans from Sense and Sensibility to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. "Ang Lee's career has been very inspiring to me – how he's able to bring where he comes from to all the films that he makes," she explained to Indie Wire.
These three directors shaped Zhao's evolution from intimate indie projects to major blockbusters. Her journey from 2015's Songs My Brothers Taught Me to Oscar glory demonstrates how mentorship can propel artistic vision to new heights.