'Reluctant Traveler' Eugene Levy still prefers own bed to hotels

NEW YORK, March 7 (UPI) -- The star of The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy says he doesn't yearn to roam in between filming seasons of his globe-trotting docuseries.

"I was happy to be home in my own bed," Levy told UPI in a recent Zoom interview. "As much as I love the show, I am never itching to get back on the road.

"That said, I am actually loving doing the show, I love what the show's doing for me. I'm really having a great time. Good and bad experiences, but, generally, I'm having a great time and actually more fun this year than last. ... I'm kind of relaxing."

Season 2 premieres Friday on Apple TV+. It follows the 77-year-old Schitt's Creek, American Pie, Serendipity, Best in Show and Vacation comedy icon as he faces his anxieties about traveling the world.

Producer David Brindley agreed that Levy being more comfortable made for an even better second season than the first.

"He's enjoying it, which means he's up for more things and game for more things. There is a good trust between us that we are going to do some really fun stuff and exciting things without crossing a line," Brindley said.

"I think we all felt more confident that what we were going to be able to do would make for entertaining viewing," the producer said.

"It also helps Eugene change, frankly. You can watch that this season from the first episode in Sweden right through to the last episode in Spain. You go on that journey with him from the northern tip of Europe to the southern."

Levy said he is happy to be out seeing and doing things, but he doesn't know if his natural lack of curiosity will ever change.

"It's too much a part of my own makeup. I'm not an adventurous person," he said.

"Those are two qualities that make for a great traveler. You have to have them. Not having them, you always have to be pushed a little bit to get someplace, and I'm glad I'm getting that push."

There's one Season 1 stunt viewers won't likely see Levy do again.

"Taking a stool sample from elephant, I think, is a one-time-only thing for me," he said.

"If I have to do more fishing, then I guess I'll do it. Don't love netting octopus. It doesn't excite me."

Levy said his wife, Deb, has noticed he got chattier since he started on the series.

"Being open enough to talk to people quite freely and enjoy the conversation, that's kind of a relatively new thing for her to witness," he said.

"We also agree, when we are traveling [together], not to over-do the itinerary," Levy said. "We are very much alike on that. Plan three things and one of them has to be sitting down and having a lovely coffee."

Brindley said he thinks the show has a good message for viewers who might identify with Levy.

"Wherever you're from, however old you are, just give something a go," Brindley said. "Try it and see the world and see if that is in any way enlightening. I think that's something we can probably all learn from."

The production was able to avoid interruption by fans who recognized Levy by largely staying off the beaten path.

"We were in places that weren't quite so populated, weren't so touristy," Brindley said.

"The one exception to that was Florence. We went there partly because Eugene said he wasn't the greatest tourist in the world, so we wanted to take him someplace where there were a lot of them. By golly, there were a lot of them."

Levy confirmed this.

"There were a lot of them and they all wanted in on the action," he said. "They were unaware we were filming and they'd be kind of coming up and taking their own selfies. It was really tough."

Brindley said everyone who approached them just wanted to tell Levy how much they adored him and his work.

"That kind of interaction is not problematic," Brindley said with a laugh.

"Yes, it's not problematic. It's not a bad thing," Levy added. "It only kind of gets in the way when you're working."

The actor said that when he is filming the show, he doesn't try to juggle recording voice work or auditions for other projects when he gets back to a hotel at the end of the day.

"Have a glass of wine and turn on the TV," he said. "I really try to limit anything workwise. I just do what I have to do to totally chill."

Levy also will soon be in in Season 4 of the Hulu comedy series, Only Murders in the Building.