Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, who is slated to play Link in the upcoming live-action Legend of Zelda movie, has revealed that he was too young to play the game The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild when it was released in 2017. Ainsworth, currently 17 years old, would have been only eight at the time of the game's debut alongside the Nintendo Switch.
"I remember being quite young at the time when it came out, and so I didn’t have a Switch at the time," Ainsworth told GamesRadar. "And so, I was watching gamers play it, and watching playthroughs, essentially."
Ainsworth will star as the iconic hero in the film from Nintendo and Sony, directed by Wes Ball, which is scheduled for a 2027 release. His acting career began a year after Breath of the Wild's launch, with his first onscreen appearance in the UK soap opera Emmerdale.
Regarding his preparation for the role, Ainsworth acknowledged the extensive legacy of the character. "Going back and realizing the 40 years of legacy and history, and the varied tones, the varied stories, the varied renditions and vocal performances of this character as well," he stated. "Yeah, I’m a big fan, and just really excited, because it was an awesome thing to shoot. New Zealand is a wonderful place."
Link is recognized as one of gaming's most enduring characters, though his in-game personas have often been characterized by a degree of simplicity. Ainsworth's preparation for the role involved understanding this history, rather than direct gameplay experience of Breath of the Wild at its release.