The name Benjamin Evan Ainsworth may not be familiar to you now, but at just 17 years old, the young actor is on the cusp of becoming one of the biggest stars in the world.
Benjamin has already made a name for himself in the entertainment industry, starring in the terrifying Netflix series The Haunting of Bly Manor and lending his voice to Pinocchio in the recent live-action remake of the classic film.
However, his breakout role has been playing Daeron Targaryen in season three of House of the Dragon, the youngest son of Viserys Targaryen and a pawn in the Hightower plot to usurp the Iron Throne.
Benjamin's performance has been mesmerizing, and his on-screen partnership with James Norton's Ormund Hightower has been an impressive part of an already impressive season of television.
And yet, Benjamin may be about to become one of the most famous people on the planet as he is set to play the iconic character of Link in the upcoming Legend of Zelda movie.
Benjamin is currently filming for the highly anticipated fantasy film, and Metro caught up with him to get the latest on the upcoming project.
"It's really exciting," he said humbly. "It's such an honour to play such an iconic character and be part of two amazing worlds, which I am in awe of, really."
Benjamin explained that even during the audition process for House of the Dragon, he was blown away by how warm and welcoming everyone on set was, particularly James Norton, who plays Ormund Hightower.
"I think you'll be glad to know he's not as horrible in person as Ormund," he laughed. "He's lovely; he's a tremendous actor and an awesome performer to work with – you can really just follow him through a scene."
Benjamin has also been enjoying playing the complex and nuanced character of Daeron, who has a complicated relationship with Ormund.
"Ormund is a father figure, and he has been for most of Daeron's life, and so, it's clearly had an influence over Daeron and who he is," he explained.
Benjamin has also been reading the book Fire and Blood, which the show is based on, to get a deeper understanding of the Targaryen history and backstory.
"I was very interested in reading it because [Daeron is] learned, and the character is a good student, so I wanted to learn the Targaryen history and the backstory of Aegon the Conqueror," he admitted.
As Benjamin continues to rise through the ranks of the entertainment industry, fans can't help but wonder what the future holds for the young actor and his character Daeron.
House of the Dragon series three is available to watch now on NOW and Sky, and fans can look forward to seeing Benjamin's performance as Daeron in the upcoming season.
