Chloé Zhao Talks About Hamnet, Circular Storytelling, and Wakanda Forever
Hamnet Director Chloé Zhao talks about grief, the use of seasons in the film, and fan fiction.
Chloé Zhao, the director of the Oscar-nominated film Hamnet, talks with Rotten Tomatoes Awards Editor Jacqueline Coley on the Awards Tour Podcast about the magic inside all of us, how our bodies are a garden, why she likes exploring grief and loss in her films, and her desire to read Namor and Shuri fan fiction.
Be sure to check out Hamnet, streaming on Fandango at Home, and we’ll see you on the next stop of the Awards Tour!
Jacqueline Coley for Rotten Tomatoes: One of the Oscars you were nominated for was Adapted Screenplay. I read the book, Hamnet, and it itself is a form of fan fiction… I actually think [fan fiction writing] is a super power for adapting work because of how empathetically you have to approach the story.
Chloé Zhao: That word is sometimes misunderstood. When you are writing fan fiction, it’s because you’re so in love with this character, and you have observed this character in every possible way. Whether it’s a real human being, historical figure, or fictional figure, you’re so interested and in love with this character that you want to build a world to have them continue their journey. It’s a very human thing to do.
Hamnet is now streaming on Fandango at Home
Thumbnail image by Focus Features (2025)
