Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, the actor cast as Link in Nintendo's upcoming live-action The Legend of Zelda film, has revealed he was too young to have played Breath of the Wild when it was originally released, despite the game's significant influence on the character he now portrays. Speaking to GamesRadar, the 17-year-old said he was only around eight when the title launched on Switch in 2017, so he experienced it by watching others play rather than through hands-on experience himself.

Ainsworth, whose previous credits include The Haunting of Bly Manor, Son of a Critch and House of the Dragon, said he has since immersed himself in the series' "40 years of legacy and history" to prepare for the role. Details of the film remain largely under wraps, though Bo Bragason is playing Zelda and Wes Ball, director of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, is at the helm, having previously said he wants the adaptation to feel "serious" and "grounded". Filming in New Zealand has now wrapped, with the movie set for release on 30 April 2027.