Summary
It’s only been a few months since Nintendo announced they were partnering with Sony to develop a live-actionThe Legend of Zeldamovie, but fans have already run wild with predictions about which Hollywood stars will be cast as the wielders of the Triforce. Perhaps the casting people are most curious to learn about is the titular role of Princess Zelda.
Considering that Zelda has seen many different interpretations throughout theZeldafranchise, there are a lot of places Nintendo could take her depending on the actress they cast. Whether they go for a Zelda who fights alongside Link or a damsel-in-distress, these eight actors would probably excite movie fans the most if they are chosen for the role.
The Right Choice Is Often The Most Obvious One
Notable Roles:
The most popular actor’s name thrown around in contention for the role of Princess Zelda is, without a doubt, Hunter Schafer. The 25-year-old actress experienced mainstream acclaim when she began starring asJules in HBO’sEuphoria. She has since taken on roles inThe Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakesand is due to appear in Hideo Kojima’s upcoming gameOD.
While Schafer clearly bears a physical resemblance to video game depictions of Princess Zelda, the actress has also shown great enthusiasm towards the fan-casting. Furthermore, Schafer has also admitted to being a fan of theZeldafranchise, so it just seems like a no-brainer to cast her. Although, maybe Nintendo will be spooked by the work Schafer’s done onEuphoria.
Bonus Points If The Movie Is Filmed In Ireland
In the past few years, Saoirse Ronan has gained a reputation as one of the best actresses of the current generation. At only 29 years old, she was nominated for theAcademy Award for Best Actressthree separate times and has shown her comedic range as host ofSaturday Night Liveand inSee How They Run, but she has yet to enter a major franchise.
The Legend of Zeldacould be the perfect avenue for Ronan, who has been known to play both medieval royalty and precocious teens throughout her career. Though the actress seems particularly picky about the roles she chooses, if Nintendo plays their cards right, they could get an Oscar-nominated actress as their steadfast ruler of Hyrule.
The Princess' Gambit
In all fairness, Anya Taylor-Joy has already entered the Nintendo cinematic universe byvoicing Princess PeachinThe Super Mario Bros. Movie. Some might think this could hurt her chances of showing up in aZeldamovie, but the major distinction between these two films is thatZeldawill be live-action whileMariowas animated. This could possibly work in Taylor-Joy’s favor.
Given the enthusiasm Taylor-Joy showcased while playing Peach, it’d be no shock if Nintendo trusted her to bring one of their most iconic female characters to life on screen. Taylor-Joy is also no stranger to period drama, with previous roles includingEmma,The Witch, andThe Northman, but her roles inThe Queen’s GambitandFuriosamight be closer comparisons to Zelda.
They Even Share An Initial
Zendaya is likely one of the biggest movie stars of the past few years ever since she quickly rose from Disney Channel stardom to mainstream prominence with roles inSpider-Man: Homecoming,Euphoria, andThe Greatest Showman. More recently, she features intheDunefilmsand will next star in Luca Guadagnino’s tennis dramaChallengers.
As for the role of Princess Zelda, Zendaya seems like an easy choice for Nintendo to get the younger generation interested in showing up to the theaters in droves. She’s clearly got the look to play the part, as well as both the comedic and dramatic acting chops. However, Nintendo also may have trouble locking her down, as the actress is booked and busy as of late.
Gotta Cast ‘Em All
Kathryn Newton is also no stranger to helping Nintendo make the transition to live-action films. In 2019, she played asupporting role inDetective Pikachu, but being cast as Princess Zelda might be an entirely different experience. It’d also be a departure for Newton, who has starred in horror films likeFreaky,Lisa Frankenstein,and the TV seriesSupernatural.
Additionally, Newton seems down for the franchise role, as seen by her appearance in the MCU’sAnt-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania. Though Newton has never been in a role that would require her to be transported to a fantasy setting like Hyrule, there are few actresses like her who would so easily be down for the challenge of playing Princess Zelda.
The Queen Of The North Returns
There’s been a well-deserved public reckoning for Sophie Turner in the past year after she spent some time away from the spotlight after starring inGame of Thronesand theX-Menfilms as a young Jean Grey. However, the actress seemsprimed for a comeback, and playing Princess Zelda may be the perfect one, given the character’s similarities to Sansa Stark.
In fact, Zelda may just be the perfect middle ground between Turner’s performance as Sansa and her mutant abilities as Jean Grey. Plus, the actress can keep her natural blonde hair for the role rather than dye it red like she did for the duration ofGame of Thrones. If Nintendo wants fantasy credibility for theirZeldamovie, aThronescast member could do the trick.
She Wouldn’t Just Be Great; She’d BeTheGreat
Despite being only 25 years old, Elle Fanning is a seasoned veteran in the film industry, having acted since she was a child alongside her older sister Dakota Fanning. She’s since had a pretty solid career of playing princesses, from theMaleficentfilms to her Hulu seriesThe Great, in which she plays Russian empress Catherine the Great.
Fanning has had plenty of experience with medieval-adjacent period pieces.The Legend of Zelda, while an intimidating project to be a part of, would be no different for her. Plus, she’s set to star in Hideo Kojima’sDeath Strandingsequel, so she may not be a stranger to the world of video games, either.
Tale As Old As Time
Lily James is one of the most exciting English actresses of the current generation, with a huge diversity of films in her resume. She showed off her princess looks inDisney’s live-actionCinderella, she proved to be an action femme fatale inBaby Driver, and she even showed off her singing skills in the musicalMamma Mia! Here We Go Again.
The actress may be incredibly busy in the coming years, but a role like Princess Zelda only comes around once in a lifetime. She may eschew it for a different project, but if the role of Hyrule’s fearless leader is in any actress’ hands, Lily James would be quite a safe one.
