Rumors have been flying of a live-action Legend of Zelda series incoming from Netflix, perhaps in response to their success with other game series such as Castlevania and The Witcher. This begs many questions, first and foremost being: who would play Tingle? But after that, it’s certainly worth wondering who could play the part of the titular leading lady in Princess Zelda.
While it would be a refreshing change of pace to see a woman play the role of Link for a change (Link is just a Nintendo Dr. Who who speaks less, in a sense), if Tom Holland has already been locked in for portraying a classic version of Link, a more conservative take on Zelda seems likely, too. And though it could be wonderful to see a lesser-known woman-of-color take on such a symbolic and iconic role (like Zendaya did as M.J. in Tom Holland’s take on Spider-Man), it’s hard to imagine this happening if Tom Holland was indeed chosen as Link, if only due to how neutral a pick that feels.
This somewhat Hollywood-generic take on Hyrule might not be too bad, however, especially if someone like Kiernan Shipka were assigned the task of playing Zelda. She already has a strong relationship with Netflix, having starred in The Chilling Tales of Sabrina and shown a deft skill at dodging and dancing her acting through solemnity, camp, horror, and spunk. Whether a royal figurehead, a smarmy pirate, or a stubborn scientist, Zelda would likely be the most demanding role of the series, as Zelda carries a weight of expectation that doesn’t exist with Link’s characterization. Shipka would doubtless be capable of meeting the task – including the inevitable double-cast role of portraying Sheik.
Speaking of alter-egos, what if the series were to approach things more from a post-Ganon-takeover? Or a semi-apocalyptic one, like Wind Waker or Breath of the Wild? Zelda has taken on multiple alternate forms, with Sheik being the most prominent, but Tetra being another brilliant adaptation. Emmy Raver-Lampman recently depicted multiple sides in her portrayal of Allison Hargreeves (The Umbrella Academy) and may be a good fit for an off-brand take on Zelda such as Tetra in particular, or any version of Zelda seeking to differentiate itself from the expected. There’s the possibility that whatever adaptation of Zelda we see here could indeed be a brand new iteration of Zelda’s alter-egos, one who has hidden under the radar to avoid Ganon, or like Tetra, one who has grown up unaware of such a heritage. Someone like Reina Hardesty (Startup, The Flash) could take on the mantle of Princess of Hyrule, potentially an opportunity for growth if the role entailed the dutiful swapping of demeanors we often see the Princess take on.
Regardless of who were to assume the role of the iconic princess, it would be imperative that she was capable of adapting her form and style to suit the needs of different contexts, as that is perhaps Zelda’s most recurring trait across the franchise, not unlike Link. There would need to be some kind of dynamic tension between Link and Zelda – the typical route would be romantic tension, for better and worse. Even casting that predictable idea aside, Link and Zelda would function best in a live-action setting if there was back-and-forth between them, be it witty banter, genuine lack of faith/trust, or just differences of opinion on how to resolve situations. Smart writing will be key to the success or failure of an impending Legend of Zelda TV series, live-action or animated, but in live-action, the casting for Princess Zelda could end up being even more important than Link.
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