He is best known for his role as a motel co-owner in “Schitt’s Creek,” and over the course of his five decades-long acting career, he has been able to visit every country in the world.
However, Canadian actor Eugene Levy freely admits that he “not fond of traveling” and is more of a “great indoors type of guy.”
I don’t despise it. Levy tells CNN Travel that the word “hate” is extremely strong. However, I don’t really enjoy it.
In his most recent television project, “The Reluctant Traveler,” an eight-episode Apple TV+ travel series that follows Levy as he hesitantly travels to Finland, Costa Rica, South Africa, and Tokyo, the Emmy winner is constantly forced out of his comfort zone.
Levy, who is well-known for his sarcastic delivery, doesn’t even try to pretend to be enjoying many of the experiences, like going dog sledding, visiting the rainforest, and even taking a stool sample from an elephant.
Travel with hesitation
He says that one of the “least pleasant” moments that was captured for the cameras was a nighttime hike through the Costa Rican rainforest because of “the creepy crawly aspect.” He asserts, “In a million years, I would never have done that [a night hike through the rainforest].” But I’m doing this so I can try things I wouldn’t normally do and come to a conclusion. And you know what? I did form an opinion: did not enjoy it. would not repeat it.”
So, how did a person who said they’d rather “stay at home” than embark on any wild travel adventure end up fronting a travel show?
Levy claims that the idea came about when he decided to explain to producers why he was the worst person for the job when he was approached to appear in a more typical travel series.
They declared, “That’s it.” That’s the show,'” he says, emphasizing that he is aware that it is “kind of a great job” to be able to travel to places that many people could only dream of, and that he considers himself fortunate to have been able to do so.
He asserts, “Eight billion people would kill to be doing this.” However, the ability to state, “I truly didn’t enjoy that” conveys sincerity.
“Where the majority of people, I think, wouldn’t say that because they think it’s not always a good thing to say,”
He hopes that “The Reluctant Traveler” will appeal to “more seasoned travelers” as well as people like him.
Exhilarating experiences
He states, “I think there are many people out there who will look at me up there and just kind of see me as a kindred spirit.”
However, Levy admits that he had a much better time in Finland than he had anticipated and found the outdoors to be “exhilarating,” particularly driving a dog sled team across a frozen lake.
He says, “It was a lot of fun.” That made me happy. Frost fishing: did not enjoy it. would not want to repeat it.”
Levy also had a great time in Lisbon and the Maldives, but he doesn’t think he’ll ever be ready to take the 20-hour flight from Los Angeles to go back to the Maldives.
Levy, who portrayed Jim Levenstein’s father Noah Levenstein in “American Pie,” was joined by his wife Deborah Divine and his actress daughter Sarah Levy while filming some of the show’s episodes, which will premiere on February 24.
He explains that Divine, Sarah, and his son Dan Levy, who co-starred with him in “Schitt’s Creek,” enjoy “getting out and seeing new things and trying new things,” while Divine “kind of lags behind a bit.”
He admits, “I wish I could be setting a better example.” However, hey, that’s dad.”
Levy says that “laying out on a beach chair” in Hawaii or the French Riviera while drinking a cool drink is “more up my alley.”
He provides an explanation, stating, “You don’t have to be moving, moving, moving, seeing something, traveling here, making sure you see this.”
“Gotta get there now, because it closes at 5 p.m. There is a lot of running around, which I don’t like about traveling; however, you can put me in a lovely beach chair with nothing to do but relax. That was a pleasant journey.
Enlightening journey
Levy says that “you can’t get a bad meal” in Italy, and he also likes New York, where he enjoys “just walking around” as well as the culinary delights.
He continues, “I don’t need a list of a dozen things that I have to do here.”
So, has Levy become less reluctant to travel because he has gone to a number of places he didn’t want to go and tried things he “would never remotely consider doing”?
“No” is the short answer to that. But he says that he’s “opening up to the idea that you might have to force yourself to get out and go to some of these places that you might not have gone to,” and he adds that this is something he’s doing.
“I believe that at their core, there is a connection between people who adore traveling and exploring and can’t wait to see new places, cultures, and countries. He adds, “They get excited about it.”
“But I don’t. The only difference is that. You don’t really hate doing something. The only query is, “Where is the enjoyment factor?”
Even though Levy emphasizes that he is unlikely to decide to hike in the Himalayas anytime soon, he believes that he is becoming a more enlightened person by embracing new experiences, despite his reluctance.
“If you were to ask me, “Where is the one place you want to go in the world?” “I don’t have that location,” I would say.
I’m still not a big fan of traveling. However, at least I’m willing to try it.
