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Golden Globes make history nominating 3 female directors

Barbra Streisand is the only woman to ever win the Golden Globe for best director but that could change this year.
Actress Regina King got a Golden Globe nomination for directing "One Night in Miami." She is one of the three women nominated this year.
Actress Regina King got a Golden Globe nomination for directing "One Night in Miami." She is one of the three women nominated this year.Patti Perret / Everett Collection
/ Source: Reuters

Back in 2018, Natalie Portman made headlines for calling out the lack of female directing nominees at the Golden Globes. While on stage to present the award for best director, she quipped: "Here are the all-male nominees."

Well, for the first time in a long time, the Golden Globes made good on that omission and recognized female filmmakers.

After shutting women out of the best director category for the last six years, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association -- the voting body behind the annual awards show -- nominated not one, not two, but three women: Chloe Zhao for "Nomadland," Emerald Fennell for "Promising Young Woman" and Regina King for "One Night in Miami."

Carey Mulligan, director Emerald Fennell, Laverne Cox and Bo Burnham, on-set of the film "Promising Young Woman."
Carey Mulligan, director Emerald Fennell, Laverne Cox and Bo Burnham, on-set of the film "Promising Young Woman."Everett Collection

They will compete against David Fincher for "Mank" and Aaron Sorkin for "The Trial of the Chicago 7" to take home the trophy when the Globes are hosted on Feb. 28.

Chloe Zhao directs actress Frances McDormand on the set of the Golden Globe nominated film "Nomadland."
Chloe Zhao directs actress Frances McDormand on the set of the Golden Globe nominated film "Nomadland."Everett Collection

It's the first time in history that more than one woman has ever been nominated in the best director category at the Golden Globes. Prior to this year, only five female directors had ever been nominated since the first ceremony was held in 1944 -- Barbra Streisand (in 1984 for "Yentl"), Jane Campion (in 1994 for "The Piano"), Sofia Coppola (in 2004 for "Lost in Translation"), Kathryn Bigelow (in 2010 for "The Hurt Locker" and 2013 for "Zero Dark Thirty"); and Ava DuVernay (in 2015 for "Selma").

Generally speaking, award shows don't have a stellar track record when it comes to honoring women behind the camera. The Academy Awards have only nominated five women in the span of 92 years. Lina Wertmüller (in 1976 for "Seven Beauties"), Jane Campion (in 1993 for "The Piano"), Sofia Coppola (in 2003 for "Lost in Translation"), Kathryn Bigelow (in 2009 for "The Hurt Locker") and Greta Gerwig (2017's "Lady Bird").

Streisand is the only women to ever win the Golden Globe for best director. But that could change this year.