Transgender actor Hunter Schafer may play Princess Zelda in live action film: report

Speculation is growing over the potential casting of actor Hunter Schafer as Princess Zelda in Nintendo and Sony Pictures' forthcoming live-action adaptation of "The Legend of Zelda." The rumor, initially reported by industry insider Daniel Richtman, has sparked widespread discussion, as Schafer is a biological male who identifies as a female.

Schafer, known for performances in "Euphoria" and "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes," has not officially commented on the casting speculation. In a 2023 interview with Entertainment Tonight, Schafer expressed enthusiasm about the franchise, stating, "That would be so cool. I played that video game a bunch when I was a kid. That’s such a good game."

The live-action film is currently in development, with a projected release date of March 26, 2027. No official casting announcements have been made.

Schafer recently made headlines when it was revealed that a newly issued US passport listed Schafer's gender as male, despite selecting female on the application.

Schafer attributed this change to a federal policy implemented under the Trump administration, which mandates that official documents reflect an individual's biological sex at birth. In a TikTok video, Schafer expressed frustration, stating, "I filled everything out just like I normally would. I put female, and when it was picked up today and I opened it up, they had changed the marker to male."