At just 17 years old, Benjamin Evan Ainsworth is on the cusp of global stardom. Having already impressed audiences as Daeron Targaryen in the third season of House of the Dragon and voiced Pinocchio in the recent live-action remake, the young actor is now set to play Link in the upcoming Legend of Zelda movie. In an exclusive interview, Ainsworth shared his excitement and trepidation about taking on the role of one of gaming's most beloved characters.
A New Adventure in Hyrule
Speaking about the film, Ainsworth said: 'It's really exciting. It's such an honour to play such an iconic character and be part of two amazing worlds, which I am in awe of, really.' He acknowledged the weight of expectations, adding: 'I can't speak too much on the film, but I think it's super exciting. I think it was a similar first reaction to House of the Dragon. It's all very exciting, but it's also almost daunting. Filming was a lovely experience, and everyone was just lovely.'
The Legend of Zelda movie, which has been in development for years, will bring the iconic video game franchise to the big screen. Ainsworth's casting has been met with enthusiasm from fans, who have long debated who should play the silent hero. With his youthful energy and acting chops, Ainsworth seems poised to win over even the most skeptical of viewers.
Daeron Targaryen: A Surreal Journey
Ainsworth also reflected on his role in House of the Dragon, where he plays the youngest son of Viserys Targaryen, a pawn in the Hightower's schemes. He recalled his reaction to landing the part: 'I remember it feeling surreal and exciting, and it was a little bit scary as well when you're looking at the prospect of a huge show that I've admired for so long.'
He credited his audition process, which included reading with Freddie Fox and Fabian Frankel, as a formative experience. 'I was so fortunate to go through the audition process, let alone get the role, just because I got to meet Ryan; I got to do a read with Freddie Fox and Fabian Frankel. Just to act with them, even as an exercise in the auditioning process, was wonderful.'
On-Screen Chemistry with James Norton
Ainsworth's partnership with James Norton, who plays Ormund Hightower, has been a standout of the season. He praised Norton as a person and performer: 'I think you'll be glad to know he's not as horrible in person as Ormund. He's lovely; he's a tremendous actor and an awesome performer to work with – you can really just follow him through a scene.'
He added: 'As a person, though, he's just fun; he doesn't take himself too seriously. We'll be doing quite serious scenes, but between takes, we'll be having a laugh. I remember him, Freddie and I, in episode six… between scenes, we were just singing songs. James and Freddie are both great people, despite playing kind of very twisted characters.'
The Twisted Father-Son Dynamic
The relationship between Daeron and Ormund is central to Ainsworth's character arc. He explained: 'Ormund is a father figure, and he has been for most of Daeron's life, and so, it's clearly had an influence over Daeron and who he is. It's one of those relationships where he can recognise that it's twisted because he has a relationship with someone like Gwayne.'
Ainsworth delved into Daeron's internal conflict: 'His mother's so far away; his mother's a memory, and he does want affection and love, and so trying to find that, balance, I suppose and find like a little bit of a coming of age story was, was really cool.'
Looking to the Future
While Ainsworth remained tight-lipped about Daeron's fate, he did reveal he has read parts of Fire and Blood, the source material. He said: 'I was very interested in reading it because [Daeron is] learned, and the character is a good student, so I wanted to learn the Targaryen history and the backstory of Aegon the Conqueror.'
He deliberately avoided spoilers: 'But I didn't want to skip forward or make any presuppositions about who this character becomes because I think it's important that we see his struggle as he comes of age before the events unfold. So I stopped myself before it went past the events of this season, which is fun because I've got something to look forward to, I guess.'
House of the Dragon series three is available to watch now on NOW and Sky.
