Chloé Zhao on “Hamnet,” Which Is Nominated for Eight Academy Awards

Chloé Zhao's film *Hamnet*, based on Maggie O'Farrell's novel, is up for several Academy Awards. Zhao discusses her initial hesitation about the project, which centers on Shakespeare's wife and the death of their son, and what changed her mind. She describes the importance of the natural world in her films as stemming from a deep fear of death and a need for embodied spirituality. Zhao also addresses her approach to depicting William Shakespeare in the film, aiming to portray him as a man struggling to express his emotions, influenced by men she knew growing up. Finally, she touches on her neurodivergence diagnosis and how her sensitivities impact her work, both positively and negatively.