Steven Spielberg Surprises London Film Festival at ‘Hamnet’ Premiere and Praises Director Chloé Zhao: She Captures the ‘Seismic Heartbeat of the Earth’

Steven Spielberg made a surprise appearance at the London Film Festival premiere of Chloé Zhao’s “Hamnet” on Saturday night, praising the director for her latest film.

The audience at Royal Festival Hall erupted in cheers as Spielberg took the stage and explained how he first met Zhao at a dinner for Oscar-nominated directors, the year after she won the award for “Nomadland.”

“We became friends and we’d have lunch together at Amblin and I’m just amazed by her, you know,” Spielberg said before sharing what he thinks makes Zhao such a special filmmaker.

“I really believe the earth has a heartbeat. It’s a 24/7 seismic cycle, and all of us are connected to this heartbeat which happens right under our feet. But Chloé Zhao is connected to it in a profound way because it’s where her art comes from,” the legendary director continued. “It’s what she brings to set every day, it’s what she anoints and shares with her cast every day. And I really believe that when you see ‘Hamnet,’ you’ll be able to feel the seismic heartbeat of the earth because of Chloé Zhao.”

Spielberg is a producer on the historical drama, which tells the “powerful story of love and loss that inspired the creation of Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece, ‘Hamlet,'” according to the film’s synopsis. Paul Mescal plays William Shakespeare with Jessie Buckley as his wife, Agnes.

“Hamnet” world premiered at the Telluride Film Festival last month, where it made a huge splash and sparked Oscar buzz, and went on to win the People’s Choice Award at TIFF. InVariety‘s review, chief film critic Peter Debruge wrote that the film is “so emotionally raw as to be almost excruciating at times.”

“Jessie Buckley delivers a heroic performance as Shakespeare’s wife Agnes and the mother of his children — although as presented, she could be the mother of us all — the grounded, near-shamanic spirit forced to accept the death of her son, Hamnet,” the review continues. “Meanwhile, Paul Mescal plays Shakespeare, who pours his grief into “the Danish play,” but both actor and character are eclipsed by the feminine elements of this story.”

“Hamnet” will receive a limited theatrical release in the U.S. and Canada from Focus Features beginning Nov. 27 before expanding wide on Dec. 12. It will release in the U.K. on Jan. 9 via Universal Pictures.