Benjamin Evan Ainsworth’s casting as Link in The Legend of Zelda movie looks considerably stronger after his performance as Daeron Targaryen. When Nintendo announced Ainsworth and Bo Bragason as Link and Zelda in 2025, there was little to judge from their previous work. Ainworth’s appearance in House of the Dragon finally offers a better idea of what he could bring to Hyrule.
That matters because Link is an unusually difficult game character to translate to film. In games like Ocarina of Time, Twilight Princess, Breath of the Wild, and Tears of the Kingdom, players spend hours exploring Hyrule, fighting enemies, solving puzzles, and shaping Link’s journey through their own actions. Link rarely explains himself, because he does not need to. The player fills in much of his personality.
Ainsworth’s Daeron performance suggests he understands that. He makes Daeron feel like his own without constantly explaining his character or forcing attention onto himself. That could prove valuable as he takes on a hero who has been shaped by decades of player interpretation. The challenge will be making Link feel like a fully realized character without losing what made him so loved in the games.
Benjamin Evan Ainsworth’s HOTD Role Is A Good Sign For Legend Of Zelda
Ainsworth was introduced as Daeron Targaryen late in House of the Dragon, but he quickly established himself from the other members of the family. Having grown up away from the Targaryen’s central power struggles, Daeron carries himself with confidence that Ainsworth never needs to overplay. He feels like someone who belongs in Westeros rather than a random character added to expand storylines.
That specifically could be useful for playing Link. The games rarely give him his own viewpoints throughout the exposition. Players learn who he is by watching how he responds to danger, strangers, and the strange world around him. Ainsworth’s performance shows that he can communicate those qualities through the way a character is carrying themselves, rather than just spelling everything out for viewers.
There is also another huge advantage to Ainsworth’s House of the Dragon experience. He has already stepped into a hugely established fantasy franchise where audiences know the world, understand its history, and have strong opinions about its characters.
Getting Link Right Is One Of The Legend Of Zelda Movie’s Biggest Challenges
The filmmakers have a much harder job with Link than finding an actor who looks convincing in green. In the games, Link’s personality can remain understated because the player is controlling him. His choices, movements, and reactions become part of the character. A movie removes that relationship, meaning the performance has to do much more of the work.
Dialogue is a huge question when thinking of Link’s role in the Legend of Zelda movie. If Link remains mostly silent, Ainsworth will need to make him compelling through his expressions, body language, and reactions to Hyrule. If he is given more dialogue, the writers face a different problem. Link needs a recognizable voice without turning him into another copy and paste fantasy protagonist who happens to wield the Master Sword.
There is also no single version of Link to copy. Ocarina of Time’s young hero feels different from the Link of Twilight Princess, while Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom give him his own distinct personality traits. Across the game franchise though, he has shown courage, curiosity, kindness, and determination. The movie needs to preserve that core while finally giving him enough character and interiority to carry out a feature.
This is why Ainsworth’s Daeron performance is extremely encouraging. He has shown that he can communicate personally without constantly having to over explain. Whether Link often speaks or barely at all, that skill could help Ainsworth make him feel like the beloved character instead of just bringing the player’s avatar to life in The Legend of Zelda movie.
