Talented voice actress Patricia Summerset spoke with IGN about being the voice of Princess Zelda in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and the recently released The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and how playing the role changed her life. Summerset recalled being invited to a mysterious casting call in the mid-2010s, which eventually ended with her becoming the voice of Princess Zelda. She also talked a bit about how the fandom has embraced her since The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild launched on Nintendo Switch and Wii U in March 2017.
About the choice for the role of Zelda:
“It just felt like an RPG fantasy,” Summersett said. “I didn’t have any information other than that it was a princess character who had a lot of weight on her shoulders. I have a feeling that if I knew what it was, I would have overdone the process,” she said. . “I’m happy I went in blind.”
How being the voice of Princess Zelda changed things:
“In some rooms, nothing changes. I have a very ordinary life. In other rooms, you move through the space differently. As far as fandom goes, playing Zelda is next level. I’ve traveled the world and seen fans everywhere,” Summersett said. “It’s fascinating to see the differences and similarities that people from different countries celebrate the franchise. You become a symbol for people. It’s not so much about you, it’s about how much they love the show. You become the person they shake hands with. I have a special place in my brain for all the Zelda tattoos people have shown me. I wish I could thank them all.”
