The New Yorker Radio Hour Chloé Zhao on “Hamnet,” Her Film About William Shakespeare’s Grief
Dec 7, 2025
Chloé Zhao, the Academy Award-winning director of Nomadland, joins Michael Schulman to discuss her latest film, Hamnet, based on Maggie O'Farrell's novel about Shakespeare's grief. She shares how nature informs her filmmaking, both as a spiritual refuge and a visual language. Zhao reflects on her creative process, including the impact of neurodivergence and sensory sensitivities. She also details the unique challenge of adapting Shakespeare, capturing his depth and emotion while avoiding reverence in his dialogue.
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How A Meeting Changed Her Mind
- Chloé Zhao first declined Hamnet until meeting Paul Mescal and feeling a strong, animal-like energy from him.
- That meeting made her revisit the project and read Maggie O'Farrell's book, which convinced her to direct it.
The Novel As A Cinematic Blueprint
- Maggie O'Farrell's novel provided a detailed internal landscape that Zhao used as a cinematic blueprint.
- Zhao felt the book's rhythm matched her own filmmaking heartbeat, easing adaptation.
Nature Shapes Creative Core
- Zhao links her lifelong fear of death to a recurring use of nature in her films as a source of embodied spirituality.
- She contrasts the open plains (movement) with forests (stillness) to explain her creative shift in her 40s.
