Oscar-winning Director Chloรฉ Zhao Explores ShakespeareS Personal Tragedy in New Film “hamnet”
NEW โYORK, โNY – Chloรฉ Zhao, the acclaimed director who made history with her 2020 Oscar win for “Nomadland,” is turning her lens toward a deeply personal story fromโฃ literary history with her latest โfilm, “Hamnet.” The movie, basedโ on Maggie O’Farrell’s novel, delves intoโฃ the grief of William Shakespeare following the โขdeath โฃof his eleven-year-old son, Hamnet, and its โคpotential influenceโข on the creation of his iconic play, Hamlet. โข
Zhao’s career has been marked by striking โฃshifts inโข genre,from the autonomous realism of “Nomadland”โ to the blockbuster world of Marvel’s “Eternals.” “Hamnet” represents another bold โคdeparture, signaling Zhao’s continued interest in exploring worldwide human experiences through intimate and visually arresting storytelling. The film โoffers a fresh viewpoint on Shakespeare, moving beyond the celebrated playwright to portray him as a โfather grappling with unimaginableโ loss.โฃ In a recent conversation with โข New Yorker staff writer michael Schulman,Zhao discussed the role of nature in โคher filmmaking,her approach to adaptation,and how her own neurodivergence shapes her creative vision.
The filmโ is โbased on Maggie O’Farrell’s novel, published in 2020, which reimagines the life of Shakespeare’s โขfamily and the circumstances surrounding Hamnet’sโค death. Zhao’s adaptation promises โขa nuanced exploration of grief, love, โand the creative process. New episodes of The New Yorker Radio Hour, featuring Zhao’s interview, are available โevery Tuesdayโฃ and Friday โon podcast platforms. The New Yorker Radio Hour is a co-production of WNYC Studios and The New Yorker.