LOS ANGELES — Chinese-born filmmaker Chloe Zhao, who told the story of financially stretched van dwellers in U.S. recession-era tale “Nomadland,” on Sunday became the first Asian woman and second woman ever to win best director at the Academy Awards.
It was the first Oscar for Zhao, 39, who featured real-life nomads alongside actress Frances McDormand to show the lives of older Americans who travel from job to job to try and scrape together a living.
Zhao was born in China and lived in Beijing until age 14, when she went to boarding school in London and later finished high school in Los Angeles.
After attending film school in New York, Zhao won acclaim for independent movi…
Keep on reading: Chloe Zhao makes Oscars history as first Asian woman best director