This is a story that is sure to make you feel old. During the recent press tour for the third season of House of the Dragon, GamesRadar had a chance to speak with Benjamin Evan Ainsworth about his part as Daeron Targaryen, the youngest son of Viserys I Targaryen who joined the cast this season. During the interview, the outlet took a moment to discuss the upcoming live-action Legend of Zelda film, of which Ainsworth will be playing Link. Being that he is a young actor, his first memories of Zelda: Breath of the Wild are bound to make older fans’ heads explode.
“I can’t speak too much on the film itself,” Ainsworth said, “but I remember vividly when Breath of the Wild came out – and it might show my age – but I remember being quite young at the time when it came out, and so I didn’t have a Switch at the time.” Ainsworth was born just nine years before Breath of the Wild’s release, so he wasn’t in a position to buy a Switch himself. “I was watching gamers play it, and watching playthroughs, essentially.”
“Upon being fortunate enough to play this role, such an iconic character, going back and realizing the 40 years of legacy and history,” he continued, “and the varied tones, the varied stories, the varied renditions and vocal performances of this character as well… Yeah, I’m a big fan, and just really excited, because it was an awesome thing to shoot.” He isn’t able to share much else, apart from saying New Zealand is a wonderful place to visit.
Seeing as how Nintendo specifically sought out actors who were both young and relatively unknown, it makes sense that Ainsworth wouldn’t have previously been a Zelda fan. It’s more just odd to see time wrap around itself right before my very eyes. Having been a Zelda fan for 30+ years now, I never thought I’d see the day when Link appeared on the silver screen and was far younger than me.
Zelda movie release date
The Legend of Zelda movie will release on April 30th, 2027.
Check out more Zelda content
New stunning Legend of Zelda: Heroes of Hyrule toys revealed by Hasbro
Even Nintendo of America employees were surprised by Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’s announcement
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake officially coming to Switch 2 in 2026
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Written by Peter Glagowski
Peter has been a freelance gaming and film critic for over seven years. His passion for Nintendo is only matched by the size of his collection.
