The transgender mob pounced on gaming giant Nintendo for casting a woman instead of a trans actor as the lead in its upcoming film based on its long-time popular game, The Legend of Zelda.
Activists and some few fans have long held that the Zelda character of the game is transgender because in one game Zelda disguised herself as a boy. But Nintendo has always maintained that Zelda is a female character, not trans. But that isn’t stopping the haters from targeting Nintendo’s “transphobia” over its movie casting announcement.
Along with Sony Pictures, the company announced on Wednesday that it has cast Bo Bragason in the role of Zelda and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Link, Deadline reported.
“This is Miyamoto. I am pleased to announce that for the live-action film of The Legend of Zelda, Zelda will be played by Bo Bragason-san, and Link by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth-san,” Nintendo chief Shigeru Miyamoto wrote in a post on X. “I am very much looking forward to seeing both of them on the big screen.”
This is Miyamoto. I am pleased to announce that for the live-action film of The Legend of Zelda, Zelda will be played by Bo Bragason-san, and Link by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth-san. I am very much looking forward to seeing both of them on the big screen. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/KA5XW3lwul
— 任天堂株式会社 (@Nintendo) July 16, 2025
Some fans have been pushing for the film to star transgender actor Hunter Schafer due to Schafer’s superficial resemblance to Zelda, but the news of Bo Bragason’s participation in the film is not sitting well, and they have taken to social media to vent their rage.
I'll NEVER forgive them for not casting hunter , imagine caving into incels that are suffering from the male loneliness epidemic. pic.twitter.com/38m7fHto4r
— queen 👑 (@transtruther70) July 16, 2025
We needed Hunter Schafer as Zelda. For people who say "Zelda isn't a man", Hunter is a woman and zelda is not human too, she also needs to be a Hylan actor.
— Mohagj020 (@MGj020) July 16, 2025
We got robbed pic.twitter.com/xpLUNRXaEQ
— Rei (@ReiJoestar13) July 16, 2025
And the bigots can breathe a sigh of relief (until Adult Zelda is announced that is)
— Ifrit-XVII (@wpstart) July 16, 2025
Now the antis who weren't even planning on seeing the damn thing can stop complaining.
— 𝙉𝙞𝙘𝙠 ッ (@0rganicTaste) July 16, 2025
They had the chance to make a 100% PERFECT casting decision with Hunter Schafer and screwed THAT up somehow https://t.co/m1KgJSLJaw pic.twitter.com/Xa2hkX2vk0
— Squirts Falafel (@jch274s) July 16, 2025
This is not Zelda at all. She looks nothing like Zelda
— Sprog Rockatansky (@agitpopcorn) July 16, 2025
Hunter Schafer is who we want.
Bo could be the Lonlon girl
Despite the claims of activists, neither video game character is a canonically LGBTQ+ character. Zelda was always a female and Link was always a male and Nintendo has never entertained the gay community’s proclamations that these cartoon characters are transgender.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook at: facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Huston, X at WTHuston, or Truth Social at @WarnerToddHuston.
