Fortier favors Greek islands
On “The Walking Dead,” Laurie Fortier portrays Agatha, the leader of a new group on the popular series — now in its 11th season. “Agatha is a bada— ,” said the actress, who splits her time between Los Angeles and Atlanta. (She’s a) knives expert. So, to prepare for (playing) her, I trained with a Filipino knife expert.” Joking, she added that Agatha would make a resourceful travel companion. “I think I’d like to go camping with Agatha — maybe Yosemite,” she said. “I imagine she’d know how to pitch a tent, fish and make a fire.”
Q: When you film on location, are you able to enjoy any aspects of being a tourist in your downtime?
A: One of my favorite things about being an actor is it has provided me the opportunity to travel to different places for work. I always think of on-location work as a paid vacation. Not only a vacation in the sense that I get to explore a new place, but also a vacation from my kids! (Laughs) I am a single mom and have them full time — trust me, moms will understand.
I always make it a point to explore the cities I am working in. Points of interest, museums, restaurants. It’s the best! (I’ve worked on location in) Hawaii, New Orleans, Nantucket Island, Wilmington, North Carolina, Atlanta, Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa. … I keep wishing for a series that shoots in Greece, but
I don’t think there are any. (Laughs)
Q: This pandemic has made everyone think differently about how we spend our vacation time. What have you been doing?
A: Great question.
It’s really true how the pandemic has shifted our perspective on how we view the world. Previous to the pandemic, my boyfriend had been on a mission to see the world and visit a new destination every trip. The year before the pandemic, we had two epic trips to Japan, Israel, and Jordan. But (we have) refocused our travels to this country and places here we’ve never been, like Austin, Texas; Asheville, North Carolina; Whitefish, Montana; and Savannah, Georgia.
Q: What is your favorite vacation destination?
A: The Greek islands. Here is what I would recommend: Fly into Athens, spend a couple days tops. Go to the Parthenon
and tour the city to get a little feel. There’s some cool graffiti and bars and obviously the history. Then island hop via ferry. Pack light because traveling via ferry becomes difficult when you have a lot of baggage. (Go to) Mykonos for a sexy scene and beautiful people and Santorini for the majestic setting, but I’d advise to go off the beaten path. Oia is cool. Stay away from any cruise-ship port. Folegandros was quiet and magical. Naxos (has) a wide range, from beaches, to artsy towns tucked in the hillsides. Overall, Greece is my favorite, because of the people, food and beaches. It’s magical.
Q: Where have you traveled to that most reminded you of home?
A: Napili, Maui. Probably because growing up, we went every year as a family. Then when I had my own kids, I took them as well. So, it’s home in a sense.