Natalie Portman is finally starring in a movie her kids can watch, and she couldn’t be more thrilled about it.
The Oscar-winning actress, known for her more mature or dramatic roles, is part of Fountain of Youth, an adventure film directed by Guy Ritchie. The film also stars John Krasinski and Eiza Gonzalez, and it’s a rare project that Natalie says is totally kid-friendly.
“They have not seen it yet, and I can’t wait to show it to them,” Natalie told Extra, adding, “Because A, I like never get to show my kids my movies because they’re usually not appropriate, and then B, it’s so fun. I think they’re going to have the best time watching it.”
Natalie Portman Fountain of Youth is clearly a shift from her usual roles. She shares two kids, 13-year-old son Aleph and 8-year-old daughter Amalia, with her ex-husband, dancer and choreographer Benjamin Millepied. And while her filmography includes legendary roles in Black Swan, Closer, and as Jane Foster in the Thor films, most of those aren’t exactly child-friendly. But Fountain of Youth changes that, and Natalie is genuinely looking forward to sharing the experience with her kids.
What also made this project extra meaningful was working alongside John Krasinski, who plays her brother in the movie. According to Natalie, it was like coming full circle. “I get John Krasinski as my brother, who’s, like, the greatest and so funny and such a great actor,” she said. “I think it’s so fun to have a brother-sister relationship at the center of the film. I think it’s quite unusual in this kind of adventure and makes sense for Fountain of Youth to be with someone that has known you since you were a child.”
Yes, Natalie and John have actually known each other since childhood, which made their on-screen bond even more authentic. It’s not every day you see a big-budget adventure film center a sibling duo, and that uniqueness is part of what makes Fountain of Youth feel so special to her.
But Portman’s big year doesn’t stop there. She also premiered Arco, an animated film she produced, at the Cannes Film Festival. Directed by Ugo Bienvenu, Arco marks his first feature-length project, and Natalie was full of pride about how it was received. “It’s been incredible to have so many things I care about kind of emerge in the world at the same time,” she shared. “To have Arco, a film we produced, which is animated, the first feature by Ugo Bienvenu, and we’re so, so proud of it, and it debuted to such love and appreciation, so it was an incredible moment.”
So yeah, Natalie Portman’s Fountain of Youth might be the one grabbing headlines now, but she’s balancing a lot, starring in one film and producing another, both with wildly different vibes but equally close to her heart.
This push to create and star in projects that align with both her artistic goals and her role as a mom isn’t random. Natalie’s been pretty open about how much her kids shape her decisions these days. In a 2022 interview with Variety, she admitted, “I feel like it’s the phase of my career where I’m really trying to just impress my kids.”
And honestly, between starring in a family-friendly action-adventure film and debuting a thoughtful animated feature at Cannes, she might be doing just that. Whether it’s fighting off bad guys in Fountain of Youth or backing innovative animation like Arco, Natalie Portman is choosing projects that matter to her, and now, they might matter to her kids too.
