‘Fountain of Youth’s John Krasinski and Natalie Portman Discuss the Challenges of Working With Guy Ritchie
May 24, 2025
Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for ‘Fountain of Youth.’
Summary
In an interview with Collider, Portman and Krasinski tell us they were genuinely scared during the high-speed car stunt.
Portman enjoyed Ritchie’s rapid-fire dialogue and found working with him “wild.”
The film leaves audiences with a mystery about Luke and Charlotte’s dad’s fate, teasing the possibility of a sequel with new adventures.
If you ever wondered what it would look like if National Treasure and Indiana Jones had a baby that was raised by acclaimed director Guy Ritchie, best known for his fast-talking wit and heist-sized energy, you would undoubtedly get the highly anticipated Apple TV+ blockbuster, Fountain of Youth. The action-adventure flick, starring Natalie Portman and John Krasinski as the estranged Purdue siblings turned reluctant treasure hunters, is a slick, stylish rollercoaster ride that’s as funny as it is fearless and exciting. And yes, after those final moments of the movie, you just know we’re about to get a sequel. Fingers crossed, at least!
In an exclusive interview with Collider for the film now available to stream on Apple TV+, Portman and Krasinski open up about surviving high-speed car stunts and working with Ritchie’s signature snappy dialogue. Moreover, the two reveal where they’d like to go next following those last moments of the film’s finale.
The ‘Fountain of Youth’ Car Chase Left Krasinski and Portman Genuinely “Scared”
The on-screen siblings screamed their heads off during that high-speed chase across London.
For all of the detailed planning that goes into a movie like Fountain of Youth, often times the most memorable scenes are the ones where chaos takes the wheel — literally. That’s exactly what happened when Krasinski and Portman were unexpectedly thrust into a high-speed car chase through the streets of London.
“For me, the most fun I had doing it was, I mean, I gotta say the day that we were in that car flying around at what seemed like 50 miles an hour,” Krasinski tells Collider. “It was very, very fast. I don’t think either Natalie or I knew exactly how fast we were going to go, and so it was kind of like being on one of those thrill rides that people do, that when you see them, you go, ‘I would never do that.’”
But as The Office and Jack Ryan actor admits the best part about it was how they really didn’t have much of a choice to say no. “We just happened to already be in that moment, and I don’t think we realized it. So, it was a lot of fun to scream our heads off and actually be scared. That was fun.”
Portman Loved Ritchie’s Rapid-Fire Dialogue: “It Was Really Wild”
This is Portman and Krasinski’s first film with Guy Ritchie.
Image via Apple TV+
If the car scene was the most physically intense to shoot for the actors, the showdown on the Lusitania between the pair, with co-star Eiza Gonzalez, is Fountain of Youth’s biggest flex. The sunken shipwreck sequence, which sees the siblings crack a major clue and fight their way through double-crosses mid-ocean, is pure cinematic spectacle. But while the action has been some of the most memorable on streaming recently, for Portman, she admits it was being a part of Ritchie’s world that struck her, especially his penchant for sharp, quick dialogue.
“I loved all of it, honestly. It was really wild. We were in so many incredible places. I loved, actually, a lot of the dialogue scenes that would get really wordy in that Guy Ritchie way. He would be super specific about the rhythms,” she smiles. That signature rhythm, though, came with its own unique set of challenges. “Sometimes he’d put together word combinations that felt like tongue twisters, and it was a very fun and funny challenge,” Portman adds. For an Oscar-winning actor best known for prestige dramas and character-driven indies, getting to spar with Ritchie’s quick-wit banter was a whole new muscle she nailed.
So… Is Luke and Charlotte’s Dad Dead or Just Hiding?
Whatever happened to the Purdue patriarch?
Image via Apple TV+
It wouldn’t be a proper action-heist film without a few loose ends left hanging, and Fountain of Youth does just that. While we learn that Domhnall Gleeson’s billionaire character Owen Carver is just a big baddie looking for mortality with the fountain’s gifts, there’s a lot more to dig into after his ultimate demise. Specifically: what exactly happened to Luke and Charlotte’s dad?
Throughout the film, the two keep talking about their father, but we never see him or even actually recognize if he’s alive. Could this mean he’s in hiding? It’s an idea that Krasinski lights up at. “Oh, I love this,” he smiles. Portman agrees, joking: “You need to come consult for this sequel.”
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Krasinski played the character for four seasons of the TV series.
If it does happen, both stars have ideas. When asked what other adventures they’d want to go on, Krasinski says, “Well, if it’s locations, I mean, Japan. You had some good ones yesterday.” Portman chimes in with her dream travel list: “There are so many places I’d love to go. I’ve never been to Senegal. I’d love to go to Colombia. You and Eiza [González] were talking about it today, and that sounded amazing. Many, many, many places. Korea, I’ve never been to.”
With the world officially their playground and a potentially new franchise set to dominate Apple TV+, the film’s ending all but promises more puzzles, more sibling bickering, and an even deeper dive into the mysteries of the world. Just don’t be surprised if you see Portman hanging off a zipline in Colombia next time — or Krasinski screaming his head off. Again.
Fountain of Youth is now streaming on Apple TV+.
Fountain of Youth
Release Date
May 23, 2025
Runtime
125 minutes
Writers
James Vanderbilt
Producers
Jake Myers, William Sherak, Dana Goldberg, David Ellison, Don Granger, Tripp Vinson, Ivan Atkinson
Publisher: Source link
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