Live-Action Link Actor Discusses The Legend of Zelda Movie, Says He Was Too Young to Play Breath of the Wild When It Launched

Link histrion Benjamin Evan Ainsworth has discussed preparing for Nintendo's upcoming live-action The Legend of Zelda movie — and said helium was excessively young to play Breath of the Wild erstwhile it primitively debuted.

Ainsworth is presently 17 years old, portion Breath of the Wild primitively launched for Switch successful 2017 — meaning helium would person been conscionable 8 years aged astatine the time.

"I retrieve vividly erstwhile Breath of the Wild came retired — and it mightiness amusement my property — but I retrieve being rather young astatine the clip erstwhile it came out, and truthful I didn't person a Switch astatine the time," Ainsworth told GamesRadar. "And so, I was watching gamers play it, and watching playthroughs, essentially."

While inactive a teenager, Ainsworth already has a drawstring of high-profile projects nether his loop — specified arsenic Netflix fearfulness The Haunting of Bly Manor, CBC sitcom Son of a Critch, and his caller summation to the formed of HBO's House of the Dragon.

While Ainsworth whitethorn not person played Breath of the Wild a decennary ago, the histrion has said he's present a Zelda instrumentality has caught himself up connected the "history" of the quality and bid successful mentation for his role. (Hopefully Nintendo has fixed him a Switch 2?)

"Upon being fortunate capable to play this role, specified an iconic character, going backmost and realizing the 40 years of bequest and history, and the varied tones, the varied stories, the varied renditions and vocal performances of this quality arsenic well," Ainsworth continued. "Yeah, I'm a large fan, and conscionable truly excited, due to the fact that it was an awesome happening to shoot. New Zealand is simply a fantastic place. But yeah, can't accidental excessively overmuch more."

Nintendo has kept galore details of its Zelda movie under-wraps, with nary connection connected its story, mounting oregon characters beyond Link and Zelda, the second of whom volition beryllium played by Bo Bragason. Filming successful New Zealand has present wrapped, though immoderate fans got a sneaky glimpse — and judge they spotted Succession histrion Dichen Lachman successful costume arsenic Zelda's adjutant Impa. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes manager Wes Ball is helming the film, and has spoken antecedently astir wanting to marque a "serious" and "grounded" adaptation that feels "real" to audiences.

With little than a twelvemonth to spell until the movie's April 30, 2027 motorboat date, fans expect to perceive overmuch much astir the movie soon — possibly this fall, erstwhile Nintendo gets astir to marking the Zelda franchise's 40th day with its The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remaster.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You tin scope Tom astatine [email protected] oregon find him connected Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social