Ever since its announcement in 2023, information on the upcoming live-action Legend of Zelda movie has been thin on the ground. We know it’s going to be released on 7th May 2027; we know that Sony Pictures will be distributors, with Avi Arad and Wes Ball involved in the movie’s production alongside Shigeru Miyamoto…
And that’s about it. We haven’t got a trailer, any artwork or any other information on the movie. We just know its format and release date, and that’s where our info ends.
Today though, things have gotten a bit more interesting. Why? Because thanks to a new announcement by Miyamoto, we now know who’s playing Link and Zelda in the film! Here’s the announcement in question, courtesy of the official Nintendo Twitter account:
This is Miyamoto. I am pleased to announce that for the live-action film of The Legend of Zelda, Zelda will be played by Bo Bragason-san, and Link by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth-san. I am very much looking forward to seeing both of them on the big screen. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/KA5XW3lwul
— 任天堂株式会社 (@Nintendo) July 16, 2025
As you can see, Zelda will be played by Bo Bragason, while Link will be played by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth. They’re not actors we’re super familiar with ourselves, but they’ve previously appeared in a few movies and TV shows here and there. Bo has appeared in films like Censor and The Radleys, while Benjamin voice Pinocchio in Disney’s recent remake and played Miles Wingrave in The Haunting of Bly Manor.
And honestly? They seem like the right choices here. For one thing, while they’re definitely rising stars, they’re not Hollywood A-listers like the cast of the Mario Movie were.
Which in this case may help make the film a bit more immersive than it’d be otherwise. Because here’s the thing with big name actors, or folks that everyone recognises from a previous piece of media…
It’s very easy to see them as merely playing themselves rather than any particular character.
Especially when they’re actors that tend towards a certain character role, like Chris Pratt or Jack Black. In those cases, it’s easy to see them as playing themselves first and foremost, with their actual role as more of a secondary thing.
Hiring lesser-known actors kinda avoids that issue. It lets the audience focus on the characters they’re playing rather than the actors themselves. It avoids leaving the audience stuck thinking “oh hey, isn’t it that character from Star Wars/Doctor Who/Harry Potter?” rather than them taking the new film as its own thing.
Plus, it’s perhaps a bit easier to get them back for future sequels and spinoffs too. You want an actor who’s available to actually film those, and someone who’s too famous or has too many existing commitments usually doesn’t fit the bill. Just ask the BBC and Bad Wolf about the situation with Ncuti Gatwa and the first season of that Doctor Who ‘reboot’.
Still, those are our first two cast members for the upcoming Legend of Zelda movie. They’re fitting choices for Link and Zelda, and we’re excited to see what they’ll bring to the table when the film actually gets its reveal trailer in the next few years.
However, what do you think about them? Are you happy with the movie’s cast so far? Who would you have picked for these roles if you were the casting director here?
Leave your thoughts in the comments below, or on our Discord server today!
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