Fountain of Youth stars reveal Guy Ritchie’s directing secrets

Portman and Krasinski star as estranged, mismatched siblings Charlotte and Luke Purdew, who find themselves teaming up to locate the legendary Fountain of Youth for Domhnall Gleeson's wealthy benefactor while being pursued by one of the Fountain's designated Protectors, played by Eiza Gonzalez.

It is the second time Gonzalez has worked with Ritchie, following her role in The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare last year, while she's also already shot his next film In the Grey – and speaking exclusively with RadioTimes.com, she revealed that it's a collaboration she's greatly enjoyed so far.

"I watched Guy Ritchie movies starting my career, and I was mind boggled by them," Gonzalez explained. "And so the fact that I've been lucky enough to make a couple with him is so surreal. I still can't... I kind of pinch myself every day about it."

She added that the opportunity to play "such different characters" in "such different films" was a bonus, while drawing attention to the fact that Ritchie is always able to rely on A-list casts.

"He always has amazing actors working with him, and he will continue [to] because he creates such an amazing environment for all of us," she said.

"Even though he keeps us on our toes... what I like about it, because everyone talks about how scary it is to start working with him and whatnot....what people don't realise is he goes off your energy, and so he wants you to come through and shine in ways that maybe someone else hasn't had the opportunity because they're imposing a character on you."

She continued: "He kind of does this beautiful merging of reading your energy, utilising your energy while building a character. And I think that's why a lot of actors thrive on his films and are so brilliant in his films, because he kind of is an admirer of an individual like Domhnall or like Natalie or John.

"And so I really want to sort of highlight that about him. He's a very thoughtful, profound human and I'm just incredibly grateful that he's seen something in me, truly."

For Gleeson, it was his first time working with Ritchie – a director who he explained has long been "part of what's been really exciting about cinema" – and he was equally impressed by the filmmakers distinct direction style.

"I really like working with directors who do things differently," he said. "And he certainly does things differently. So getting to go on and experience what it is to work with him was... it was really scary, and I didn't know what the hell was going on for a small amount of time.

"But because John and Natalie were going with it, you [Gonzalez] had worked with him before, you were able to give a heads up, like, go with it, and you'll enjoy it and it'll go well. And that was exactly it. It was so much fun."

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There was also another aspect of the film that Gleeson found very fun – the chance to shoot in some incredible real-life locations including Thailand, Egypt and Vienna.

"I had been to Cairo, madly, when I was, like, 14, but [was] too young to take it in," he explained. "And then to go back as an adult and stand in the middle of the pyramids and know that your job has taken you there is an incredible, beautiful, mad thing."

Gonzalez added: "I mean, the fact that we get to shoot in real sets is a gift. It's a commodity in this day and age, I think. And so we were just... I couldn't believe it.

"These movies don't come around often, and so when you do, you want to, like, squeeze the life out of them. So I was just excited – I hadn't been to any of these locations ever in my life!"

Fountain of Youth is released on Apple TV+ on Friday 23rd May. Subscribe to Apple TV+ here.

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