Oscars nominate 2 female directors in 1 year for the 1st time

Chloe Zhao
(Image credit: HFPA via Getty Images)

For the first time in the history of the Oscars, more than one woman is in contention for Best Director this year.

The 2021 Oscar nominations were unveiled on Monday, and two women were nominated for Best Director: Nomadland's Chloé Zhao and Promising Young Woman's Emerald Fennell. This is the first time ever that more than one woman has received a Best Director nomination at the same Oscars ceremony.

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.