The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was the series' debut 3D title, and because of this, Nintendo wanted Link's design to stand out when compared to his previous incarnations. In every game prior, his appearance was a simplistic sprite of a green man wielding a sword and shield with beady eyes. The N64 gave the studio the power to emulate the real world much more accurately, and his design was taken far more seriously as a result. To do this, Nintendo based Link's The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time design on a "world-famous Hollywood actor" - most likely Leonardo DiCaprio.

When the N64 classic dropped back in 1998, Zelda's first 3D outing took gamers by storm with its immersive world and story. Video games had made a significant amount of technological progress since the series began, and Ocarina of Time was one of the milestone titles that cemented gaming as a major artistic medium. Most players focused on its revolutionary camera or massive overworld littered with hidden details Zelda fans are still discovering, but some noticed that Link looked much different than any of his previous depictions.

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Although it's nearly impossible to tell based on the in-game sprites, the original Zelda titles each shared a similar design for Link that most future Zelda games abandoned. He lacked pants and wore a brown shirt underneath his tunic. His hair was often depicted as brown, and his face always had a slight goofiness that even The Wind Waker's Toon Link never had. In the 2017 behind-the-scenes book, The Legend of Zelda: Art & Artifacts (via DidYouKnowGaming?), an interview with multiple Zelda artists discussed Link's design, explaining that Nintendo actually outsourced the art for every Zelda game before Ocarina of Time to another studio, which is why his designs always seemed slightly "silly."

The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time's Connection To Leonardo DiCaprio

In the interview, the artists said Link's new look was inspired by a "rather world-famous Hollywood actor," though they did not confirm exactly who. Before the days of creating a cel-shaded look for Zelda's green hero, Nintendo wanted him to appeal to Western audiences by giving him a cool and handsome look. Yusuke Nakano, Link's 2D designer, claimed that, when most people thought of attractive actors at the time, they "immediately thought of this guy." Nakano added that he kept in mind the actor's pointed nose and "strong-willed look in his eyes" when drawing Link.

While it's true that DiCaprio isn't the only actor who meets these requirements, he was extremely famous in the years leading up to Ocarina of Time's release. James Cameron's Titanic released one year prior, sealing DiCaprio's status as a Hollywood heartthrob. DiCaprio certainly had that "strong-willed look," and his Titanic character even shares a similar hairstyle with Link. It might not be concrete confirmation, but evidence supports the idea that Link from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was likely inspired by DiCaprio.

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