Who will play Zelda & Link? Nintendo could cast these stars in Zelda movie

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Link is a tricky one, though. Namely, as the character is silent. So does Nintendo just base the pick on looks alone, or does it break with tradition and let Link speak for the first time?

We imagine the latter. Zelda is a bit easier in that regard, but casting will still be key.

With The Maze Runner director Wes Ball helming the project, could we see one of those stars switch over to Hyrule? Or how about a Sony regular? Or a young up-and-comer who is about to break into the spotlight?

There's lots to discuss. So let's jump into who we think could be cast in the Zelda movie, along with who the internet is talking about - and some wildcards for fun.

Who could play Link in the Zelda movie?

Nintendo is yet to announce the casting for Link in the Zelda movies, but that hasn’t stopped the internet from working up a frenzy with its guesswork.

Below you’ll find our favourite picks, who we really hope are on the casting agent’s radar!

Thomas Brodie-Sangster

Thomas Brodie-Sangster has gone on to become more than just the kid from Love Actually, proving his merits in The Queen's Gambit, Game of Thrones and even The Maze Runner series of films – that connection by itself puts him into contention.

While he's past the age of 30 now, Brodie-Sangster doesn't look it at all, able to offer that innocent whimsy that makes Link so lovable. He will next be seen headlining The Artful Dodger on Disney Plus.

Timothée Chalamet

One of the most popular young actors on the planet right now, Timothée Chalamet, is a name being banded around the internet.

The 27-year-old has an impressive list of films to his name: Lady Bird, Dune, Call Me By Your Name, Interstellar and, soon, Wonka. Even so, we're not sure we can see him swinging a sword and going "Hiyahhh" for two hours straight.

Kodi Smit-McPhee

Having earned rave reviews and a Golden Globe in The Power of the Dog, Kodi Smit-McPhee is a choice many wouldn't expect - but could be an inspired pick for Link.

The Australian is used to blockbusters, too, having appeared in the later X-Men films as Nightcrawler, as well as showing up in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. More recently, he played Jimmie Rodgers in Baz Luhrmann's Elvis.

Tom Holland

Sony's favourite son and Spider-Man actor Tom Holland has appeared in numerous fan-made mockups as the Hero of Hyrule, including the ones above, long before the Zelda adaption was announced.

Could the producers persuade the British actor to don the legendary green tunic and Master Sword? Well, considering how the Uncharted film turned out, let's hope not.

Reggie Fils-Aimé

A bold choice would be to bring back the former Nintendo of America president to play Link, yet we can get behind it. The US businessman's acumen will surely help him gather plenty of Rupees in no time - and when it comes to taking on Ganondorf, well let's just say his body is ready.

Who could play Zelda in the movie?

Again, there’s no official answer to this question yet! Who exactly will play Zelda? We will have to wait for a proper announcement, but the speculation mill is already turning.

You’ll find our top picks for Princess Zelda casting below, including some of the biggest rumoured names from around the web.

Hunter Schafer

Relative newcomer Hunter Schafer is best known as Jules Vaughn in HBO's acclaimed Euphoria teen drama. One look at the US model makes it easy to see why the web is so taken with the thought of the the young star portraying Zelda.

She will first appear in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes as Tigris Snow, so we'll certainly be seeing more of Schafer in the years to come.

Zendaya

Sticking with Euphoria faves, Zendaya has established herself as one of the biggest names in Hollywood, and she only has one.

Finding international fame in the MCU's Spider-Man movies as Michelle (alongside Tom Holland), Zendaya definitely has the acting ability, charm and emotional range to bring Princess Zelda to life.

Anya Taylor-Joy

Fresh off the heels of voicing Princess Peach in the Super Mario Bros Movie, many are suggesting Anya Taylor-Joy could switch to Nintendo's other kingdom as Zelda.

It's certainly not out of the realm of possibility. For one, the actress definitely can pull off the Elf-like appearance with more than enough talent to please fans. Would The Queen's Gambit star want to get involved with another video game franchise, though?

Emma Watson

Another fan casting that made the rounds long before we even knew a Zelda motion picture existed. Emma Watson has broken out of the Harry Potter franchise extremely well in the years since, appearing in Beauty and the Beast, Little Women, The Perks of Being a Wallflower and more.

Nonetheless, we can't imagine a Zelda project would interest the Brit, and Watson hasn't acted in anything since 2019 - with no upcoming projects listed either. Still, she's box office.

Elizabeth Debicki

Quickly becoming one of the most sought-after actresses in Hollywood, Elizabeth Debicki made waves as Princess Diana in The Crown on Netflix.

With that in mind, surely Princess Zelda wouldn't be that much of a stretch. On top of this, she has appeared in Tenet, The Great Gatsby, Windows and Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy. We'd be lucky to get someone as accomplished.

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