Following the announcement of the live-action The Legend of Zelda movie, fans quickly pointed out that Hunter Schafer would be the perfect Zelda, which led to rumors that Schafer might actually land the part. Side-by-side pictures of the actress and the video game character showed how similar the two look, plus Schafer has the acting range needed for the role. Unfortunately, Schafer was not cast in the role, perhaps indicating that Nintendo and Sony are playing it safe with The Legend of Zelda.

> Hunter Schafer Was the Perfect Zelda Fan-Cast
When Sony and Nintendo announced production on The Legend of Zelda movie, fans on social media quickly started sharing ideas for actors who could play the two leads, Link and Zelda. Hunter Schafer emerged as a fan-favorite choice for the latter. Her blonde hair, slightly elvish features, and stature make her very similar to Zelda in the video games, and she has the acting background required to lead a major film. Industry scooper Daniel Richtman even said that Schafer was being eyed for the role.

Fan-casting is often dumb, and most suggestions are based on an actor sharing a single trait with the character they might play, but the Schafer fan-cast was one of the best. Schafer looks nearly identical to the video game character, but that's not the only characteristic that would make her perfect for Zelda. The character is soft-spoken but confident, while also being a kind-hearted princess. With roles in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Euphoria, Cuckoo, and more, Schafer has demonstrated an impressive acting range. What made the fan-casting even better was the fact that so many fans could get behind the idea of Schafer playing Zelda.