Chinese state media reportedly ordered not to report on Chloé Zhao's Oscar wins


The Chinese government is not celebrating Chloé Zhao's historic Oscar victories, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Zhao, who was born and raised in China before moving to the United States in high school, on Sunday night became the first woman of color (and only the second woman ever) to win Best Director at the Academy Awards for her film Nomadland, which also notched best picture. But most state-controlled media organizations in her country of birth did not spread the news, with two state media journalists telling The Wall Street Journal that they had received orders from Beijing's propaganda ministry not to report on Zhao's awards. Congratulatory messages directed at Zhao on Chinese social media sites were also reportedly taken down.
The clampdown isn't entirely surprising. As the Journal notes, when Zhao first began racking up accolades for Nomadland earlier this year, a 2013 interview in which Zhao referred to China as a place "where there are lies everywhere" resurfaced, sparking a backlash to the initial excitement.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Global Times published the sole Chinese state-media acknowledgement of Zhao's big night. It was packaged in an English-language editorial calling on the director to become "more mature" and "avoid being a friction point." Read more at The Wall Street Journal.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
Today's political cartoons - April 20, 2025
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - Pam Bondi, retirement planning, and more
By The Week US
-
5 heavy-handed cartoons about ICE and deportation
Cartoons Artists take on international students, the Supreme Court, and more
By The Week US
-
Exploring the three great gardens of Japan
The Week Recommends Beautiful gardens are 'the stuff of Japanese landscape legends'
By The Week UK
-
Laurence Fox suspended by GB News after 'unacceptable' Ava Evans comments
Speed Read Broadcaster issues apology after actor goes on a tirade during a live interview with Dan Wootton
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK
-
Fox News apologizes to Gold Star family for false story Marine Corps called 'disgusting'
Speed Read
By Peter Weber
-
Tucker Carlson Tonight is being replaced by Fox News Tonight
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia
-
Judge delays Fox News-Dominion defamation trial start, reportedly to allow settlement talks
Speed Read
By Peter Weber
-
Judge orders Dominion lawsuit against Fox News to go to trial
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans
-
Fox News seeks gag order for producer who claims she was coerced to mislead in Dominion deposition
Speed Read
By Peter Weber
-
Lawsuit documents: After 2020 election, Tucker Carlson said he hates Trump 'passionately'
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia
-
Rupert Murdoch gave Jared Kushner 'confidential information' on Biden ads, debate strategy, Dominion says
Speed Read
By Peter Weber