NEED TO KNOW
The Legend of Zelda is coming to life!
In November 2023, Nintendo announced that it was partnering with Avi Arad’s production company to develop a live-action film based on the beloved video game franchise, which first debuted in 1986.
Following the news, fans anticipated who might take on the lead roles of Link and Princess Zelda, characters that musician Machine Gun Kelly and Euphoria star Hunter Schafer, respectively, have expressed interest in portraying.
On July 16, Nintendo’s legendary video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto announced in a post on X that young stars Benjamin Evan Ainsworth and Bo Bragason would step into the roles of Link and Princess Zelda, respectively.
“I’m already looking forward to their performances,” he wrote in the post, originally written in Japanese. Miyamoto added that the live-action film is slated to be released on May 7, 2027.
Here’s a look at the cast of The Legend of Zelda side-by-side with their counterparts from the original video games.
Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Link
Jeremy Chan/Getty ; Nintendo of America/YouTube
Ainsworth will play Link, the young hero who battles the forces of evil from the dark sorcerer Ganon to rescue Princess Zelda and protect the magical kingdom of Hyrule.
The young actor is most known for voicing the titular character in 2022’s live-action Pinocchio, which he starred in alongside Tom Hanks. Ainsworth also appeared in CBC Television’s Son of a Critch and the Netflix miniseries The Haunting of Bly Manor. Most recently, he portrayed Lester Smart in 2025’s Everything’s Going to Be Great.
Ainsworth told Owl Connected in September 2022 that he started acting at 7 or 8 years old, though it initially started as a “fun thing to do on the weekend.”
In June 2025, Ainsworth opened up to Digital Journal about his advice for other aspiring young actors, suggesting they “just keep going!”
“The auditioning process — from an outside perspective — can be really hard and it can this thing that you just keep doing,” he said. “The main thing is that if you love it, then keep going with it, and trust yourself and try and enjoy auditions, and go into auditions confidently. If you enjoy it, then keep going.”
Bo Bragason as Princess Zelda
Karwai Tang/WireImage ; Nintendo of America/YouTube
Bragason will portray Princess Zelda, the daughter of the King of Hyrule.
The actress previously starred in 2021’s Censor and 2024’s The Radleys. On TV, she has appeared in Disney+’s Renegade Nell and the BBC miniseries Three Girls.
During an October 2024 appearance on the Deepest Dream podcast, Bragason shared that she began acting at 11 years old.
“I think with every role that I’m doing, I feel as though I’m learning more and also getting better and better,” she said, adding that she’s grown from working closely with other actors on set.
“I haven’t had any formal acting training, but being on set, it kind of feels like I have, because I’m learning from the greats. I’m sitting back, just observing, watching what they’re doing and soaking that all in,” Bragason said. “Every role that I’ve done, I can truly say that I’m grateful for because they have kind of all been so different.”
