April 26, 2021 / 6:45 AM / CBS NEWS
The 93rd Academy Awards held Sunday offered a few historic moments, as Chloé Zhao became the first Chinese woman and the first woman of color to be awarded Best Director for her work on Nomadland, which also took Best Picture.
Zhao beat out Emerald Fennell, nominated for Promising Young Woman, marking the first time two women were nominated in the directing category. Nomadland was only the second film directed by a woman to be named Best Picture.
In this video image provided by ABC, Chloe Zhao accepts the award for best director for Nomadland at the Oscars on Sunday, April 25, 2021.
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The winners for best makeup and hairstyling Mia Neal, Jamika Wilson and Sergio Lopez-Rivera for their work on the film Ma Rainey s Black Bottom,” included Neal and Wilson as the first Black women to be nominated and to win the award.
“I can picture Black trans women standing up here, and Asian sisters. And our Latina sisters, and Indigenous women. And I know that one day it won t be unusual or groundbreaking it will just be normal,” Neal said in her acceptance speech.
The groundbreaking wins came among other historic nominations. Steven Yeun was the first Asian American to be nominated for best actor for his performance in “Minari,” alongside Riz Ahmed, who was the first Muslim to be nominated for the award for his work in “Sound of Metal.”
After years of criticism for a lack of diversity, this year s slate of nominees contained some notable firsts. It was the first time an all-Black producing team was nominated for best picture, the first time two actors of Asian descent received a nod for best actor and the first year that two women were nominated for best director. When the winners were revealed, it reflected this spirit of inclusion.
Chloe Zhao took home the best directing trophy, becoming the second woman to claim the title. Her film, Nomadland, also snagged the top prize of the night, best picture.
However, in a strange balk of tradition, the award was not presented last. Instead it was handed out before the best actress and best actor awards. It is unclear why the Academy made this change.