Say what you will about the writing and dialogue of The Legend of Zelda TV series, but I think the voice acting is honestly pretty good for its time. Cynthia Preston, who voices Princess Zelda, is a particular standout, bringing ferocity to the role when the character is engaged in combat as well as a convincing range of emotions when needed.
Preston says she gave it her all in her performance, and it seems she was helped by an eccentric director.
In a 2012 interview with UK gaming publication Pixel Nation, Preston says she found herself challenged by the show, testing the limits of her acting talents at the time. “I would put all of the energy I had into it, and then, comically, the director would say, ‘Great! Fabulous! Now do it again with more energy!’ I thought I was going to faint.”
The director of The Legend of Zelda TV series was not only enthusiastic, but it also sounds like he had unique methods of drawing out talent from the actors. “I also remember one time when Zelda was supposed to burst out laughing,” Preston recalls, “so the director mooned us from the booth. He sure got a laugh!”
Preston seems fond of not only this memory, but of the experience of working on the show as a whole. “I just remember being so disappointed when it was all over,” she says. “I can’t put my finger on exactly why it was so fun, but I remember telling people it was the most fun I’d ever had on a job. I’d love to do more Zelda!”
Preston wasn’t the only one ready for more, as her co-star and the voice of Link, Jonathan Potts, said in the same interview that he would be game for a series revival.
You can read the full interview with Cynthia Preston and Jonathan Potts in the first issue of Pixel Nation, with the Kindle edition available to purchase on Amazon.
