Chloe Zhao

Chloé Zhao – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Explore the life and works of Chloé Zhao (赵婷) — from her childhood in Beijing to her Oscar-winning filmmaking. Discover her unique voice, major films, philosophy, and memorable quotes.

Introduction

Chloé Zhao (Chinese name Zhao Ting, 赵婷) is a Chinese-born filmmaker whose work has carved a distinctive path between independent sensibilities and blockbuster ambition. While rooted in her Chinese origins, Zhao’s cinema often bridges cultures, geography, and social margins. Her film Nomadland (2020) earned her international acclaim: she became the second woman ever to win the Academy Award for Best Director and the first woman of color to do so.

Beyond awards, Zhao’s films resonate because they explore humanity, solitude, and the lives of people at the periphery. She is celebrated not only for her technical skill but also for her emotional authenticity, her blending of fiction and reality, and her ability to make audiences “feel less alone.”

In this article, we’ll trace her early life and influences, her filmmaking journey, her style and themes, her legacy, and some of her most memorable quotes.

Early Life and Family

Chloé Zhao was born March 31, 1982, in Beijing, China, under the name Zhao Ting (赵婷).

Growing up, Zhao described herself as somewhat rebellious. She was more interested in drawing comics, writing, and exploring her surroundings in Beijing than in strict academic pursuits.

At age 15, she went abroad to study at Brighton College in the UK, where she began seriously learning English and experiencing life away from home.

These early transitions — across languages, cultures, and continents — would later inflect her sense of displacement, identity, and “outsider” perspectives in her films.

Youth and Education

After completing high school in the U.S., Zhao enrolled in Mount Holyoke College (Massachusetts) and studied political science.

After finishing her undergraduate degree, she pursued graduate studies in film. She was admitted to New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she earned an MFA in film production.

In interviews, Zhao has talked about how studying political science first gave her tools for critical thinking and visualization of systems, history, and narratives — which she then applied to filmmaking.

Career and Achievements

Early Works & Short Films

Zhao’s first venture into directing came via short films. In 2008, she made Helen’s First Date in Two Years. She followed with The Atlas Mountains (2009) and Daughters (2010). Daughters won First Place Student Live Action at the Palm Springs International ShortFest and a Special Jury Prize at Cinequest.

These early works already hinted at her interest in blending documentary aesthetics, personal voice, and socially marginalized lives.

Songs My Brothers Taught Me (2015)

Her first feature film, Songs My Brothers Taught Me, was shot on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation (South Dakota). Zhao worked with non-professional actors, collaboratively incorporating their lives, stories, and personalities into the film.

Zhao has described the process as one of large improvisational material: roughly 100 hours of footage condensed into the final film, shaping characters from the interactions she observed.

The Rider (2017)

Zhao’s second feature, The Rider, is often viewed as a major breakthrough. It follows the true story of a rodeo rider, Brady Jandreau, who after a traumatic injury must rethink his identity and life.

In many critical takes, The Rider is seen as redefining the Western genre — a Chinese-born director reinterpreting an iconic American form in deeply personal, empathetic, human terms.

Nomadland (2020)

Nomadland is the film that propelled Zhao to global recognition. Adapted from Jessica Bruder’s book, the film follows Fern (played by Frances McDormand), a woman in the wake of economic collapse who lives as a modern-day nomad in a van across the American West.

Zhao shot the film on location over several months, incorporating real nomadic workers as characters.

At the 2021 Academy Awards, Nomadland was nominated for six Oscars and won for Best Picture and Best Director. In doing so, Zhao became the second woman ever to win Best Director (after Kathryn Bigelow) and the first woman of color to win. She also earned directing honors from the Golden Globes, BAFTA, and the Directors Guild of America.

Interestingly, Nomadland did not receive a theatrical release in China, likely due to controversies around Zhao’s prior remarks relating to China (which we’ll cover later).

Eternals (2021) & Later Projects

In 2018, Zhao was tapped to direct Eternals, a film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Eternals showed her expanding her scope into blockbuster territory.

Looking ahead, Zhao directed Hamnet, which premiered at the Telluride Film Festival. Buffy the Vampire Slayer revival for Hulu.

She has also been linked to multiple future projects, including a potential Western Dracula, a biopic on Bass Reeves, and more.

Historical Milestones & Context

• Breaking Oscar Barriers: By winning Best Director at the Oscars for Nomadland, Zhao became only the second woman ever to receive that accolade and the first woman of color to do so.

• Golden Globe & DGA Wins: She earned Golden Globe and Directors Guild awards for directing, making her the second woman to win in those categories.

• Censorship & China Backlash: After her Golden Globe win, Chinese media lauded her, but soon backlash followed relating to interviews in which Zhao had described China as “a place where there are lies everywhere.” Her Oscar win was censored on Chinese social media, and searches for her name or Nomadland were blocked on platforms like Weibo and WeChat.

• Transcending Identity: Zhao has sometimes been criticized in China for being “claimed” as Chinese, then perceived as distancing herself. But in interviews, she often emphasizes that her cross-cultural background is a strength.

• Reimagining Genre: Zhao’s work, especially The Rider and Nomadland, has been seen as innovating on the Western and road movie traditions — not as myth-making spectacles, but as intimate, grounded, human stories.

These milestones place Zhao not just as a successful filmmaker, but as a cultural figure bridging East and West, challenging norms, and reshaping the landscape of modern cinema.

Legacy and Influence

Chloé Zhao’s influence extends across several dimensions:

1. Representation & Barrier-Breaking
   Her Oscar win opened doors for future women and Asian filmmakers, proving that intimate, character-driven films can resonate globally.

2. A New Realism
   Zhao’s blending of documentary aesthetics, non-actors, improvisation, and deeply human themes has inspired a wave of filmmakers to stray from polished spectacle toward authenticity.

3. Expanding Genre Boundaries
   She has shown that genres like the Western or superhero films need not remain rigid. Her Eternals and earlier works both point toward a future of fluid genre conventions.

4. Cross-Cultural Voice
   Having lived and worked across China, the UK, and the U.S., Zhao’s films straddle cultural languages. She brings vantage points from “outsider” consciousness to mainstream cinema.

5. Empathy in Storytelling
   Many of her protégés and admirers point to her ability to listen, to let real stories surface in her films. Her process inspires others to slow down, to observe, and to let life inform narrative.

As more filmmakers cite her as influence, and as she continues to take on larger projects (while still preserving her personal voice), Zhao’s legacy is still unfolding — but already, it is profound.

Personality and Talents

Empathy & Listening

Zhao is often described as a filmmaker who listens: she spends time with her subjects, learns from them, and allows their lives to shape her films. She resists imposing a preconceived narrative and instead co-creates.

Intuitive Visual Style

Her camera choices often place us close to characters, sometimes inside their perspectives. She has said she wants the camera to feel like it’s inside the character.

Courage & Risk-taking

Zhao has spoken openly about diving into the unknown. Her filmmaking method often involves embracing uncertainty — whether by working with non-actors, shifting scripts on the fly, or filming in remote locations. Nomadland with limited budget and deep trust in collaborators is testament to her risk tolerance.

Dual Cultural Fluency

Being fluent in Mandarin, versed in Western film traditions, and having lived across continents gives Zhao a unique cultural agility. She has said that her ability to “know both worlds” is a strength.

In sum, Zhao’s talents lie as much in her moral and imaginative sensibility as in technical mastery.

Famous Quotes of Chloé Zhao

Here are some memorable quotes attributed to Chloé Zhao, reflecting her worldview, process, and sensibility:

“I hope my films can make you feel less alone.”

“It’s important to make time for yourself.”

“I was a pretty free-spirited kid. I was part of a notorious group of troublemakers who didn’t do well in school but had a great time exploring Beijing from the inside out.”

“A documentary film-maker can't help but use poetry to tell the story. I bring truth to my fiction. These things go hand in hand.”

“Coming from a country that's rapidly changing, I love the idea of a place like South Dakota where nothing has really changed.”

“I was born and raised in China, Mandarin is my first language, and I definitely know America. I think that will be my strength, to try and bring the two worlds together.”

These quotes bracket central themes in her work: solitude, identity, cultural bridge, poetic truth, and self-care.

Lessons from Chloé Zhao

• Embrace Vulnerability: Zhao’s films often explore characters who are fragile, broken, or in transition. She teaches us the power of vulnerability in art.

• Listen Deeply: Her method reminds us that stories are often already there — a filmmaker’s job is to listen, to slow down, and let them emerge.

• Transcend Borders: Her life and work show that identity and culture need not limit one’s imagination — they can fuel a unique voice.

• Balance Intimacy & Scale: Zhao has moved from micro, intimate stories to blockbuster terrain (e.g. Eternals) without sacrificing authenticity.

• Perseverance & Risk: She took leaps of faith, made films with limited resources, embraced nontraditional paths — a model for resilient creativity.

Conclusion

Chloé Zhao stands as one of the most compelling filmmakers of her generation. Her journey — from Beijing, through boarding schools, political science, film school, and into independent and blockbuster cinema — is as remarkable as the stories she tells. She has redefined genres, bridged cultural divides, and demonstrated that deeply human, emotionally resonant cinema can achieve global recognition.

Her legacy is still being written: as she takes on new challenges, she continues to inspire artists, audiences, and storytellers everywhere. If you wish, I can also compile a full list of her films, awards, or a deeper analysis of Nomadland or The Rider.