Eugene Levy: ‘The eyebrows didn’t hinder or help my career, I don’t think’
The much-loved Canadian comic actor Eugene Levy is best known for cocreating and co-starring in Schitt’s Creek with his son Dan. The sitcom, which also starred his daughter Sarah, became a cult hit during the pandemic and won multiple awards for its sixth and final season, including a best actor Emmy for Eugene. His film roles include four collaborations with Spinal Tap creator Christopher Guest (such as Best in Show) and the flustered father Noah Levenstein in the American Pie teen comedies. Now Levy brings his deadpan wit and distinctive brows to an eight-part TV travelogue, The Reluctant Traveler.
How reluctant were you making this series?Pretty reluctant. I couldn’t have said “no” more times. It was pitched to me as a travel show about exotic hotels, I think called A Room With a View. I told my agent: “For anybody else, this would be an extremely exciting proposal but I don’t enjoy travel and
I’m not sure how I’m going to hide that. So no, thank them very much but honestly, someone else would do a much better job.” My agent called back and said Apple wanted to have a conversation. So we had a phone call and as I was listing all my reasons, I was getting laughs. They immediately said: “That’s the show! A travel show hosted by somebody who doesn’t like travel.”
During the series, you go to Costa Rica, Finland, Japan, Italy, the Maldives, Portugal and South Africa. Would you return to any of those destinations someday?I adored Italy for the food. I kind of had fun in Finland but would I go back there? I don’t know. If the Maldives were easier to get to, I’d consider that.
What was the worst place you visited?Well, I would never have thought of going to a rainforest. But in Costa Rica, I went on a night hike through the jungle with only a flashlight. I’ve never been into the creepy crawly thing. Makes me nervous. I’m not into ants that can put you in a hospital. I was truly dreading that hike but I did it. And