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Canadian actor Marco Grazzini said that filming “Virgin River” near his home in Vancouver is a treat. “I was born and raised in Toronto, so it always feels special when I shoot there [and Vancover],” he said. “I’ve filmed a couple scenes at the University of Toronto – my alma mater – and also the street where I grew up on. Pretty cool! Montreal can feel like a quick trip to Europe. The food, nightlife and people are my favorite in Canada. Ottawa and Victoria are both government towns, but have amazing food scenes. Both offer an immense variety of outdoor activities.” Grazzini keeps fans updated on his work and travels on Instagram (@themarcograzzini). This interview with the actor has been edited for clarity and length.

Q: How would you describe yourself?

A: Originally from Toronto, Canada, you might know Marco as Mike from the hit Netflix show “Virgin River.” Beyond his acting career, which spans 20 years, he’s also an avid photographer, chef in another life and is fluent in 4.5 languages. He enjoys stand-up comedy, basketball and chasing his 3-year-old daughter around.

Q: Which languages do you speak?

A: [Besides English], I know Italian, Spanish, French, and have working knowledge of Portuguese and Tagalog. I should know more Thai than I do.

Q: Do you have a preference working on location versus on a set?

A: Creatively speaking, I most definitely prefer working on location. There’s something intrinsically unique to each and every place. There’s a different light, air, energy that I believe impacts the performance and the aesthetic captured. No matter how authentically transformed and replicated, a set will always feel somewhat sterile and artificial. However, time is money, so the controlled environment of a set offers you more reliability, creature comforts and about 75 percent less weird noises.

Q: If you could pick a location to film a project, where would it be?

A: Railay Beach in Thailand! It’s a stunning car-free peninsula in the Krabi region in the south of Thailand. Turquoise water, white sand, towering limestone cliffs – it’s the usual breathtaking landscape that Thai beaches have to offer, and that would drop jaws on film. I’ve been in and around Thailand numerous times over the past 20 years and Railay really stuck out to me for the serenity that it has.

Q: Do you have any upcoming trips planned?

A: Yes! A small trip to Los Angeles in June, which will stand out from the usual work-related trips spent in L.A. over my career. This time, I’ll be there for a World Cup game. Being a lifelong soccer fan and player, it is a wonderful bucket list item to check off. I'm looking forward to soaking in the atmosphere of people from different cultures across the globe in one spot to watch some footy and have some fun.

Q: What is your favorite vacation destination?

A: Thailand is my absolute favorite spot, be it for vacation or eventual retirement. The warm weather is an obvious no-brainer, while the culture, food and people have ensured that Thailand remains in my heart as a place that feels like home. Yes, I just mentioned food, but wow the food! It’s an extremely food-focused culture. The fact that I can step onto a main road anywhere in Thailand and find a food vendor hawking some scrumptious delicacies, that’s a win. On top of that, top chefs from cuisines all around the world have made Thailand their home, so you’ll never be left wanting for international variety.

Q: Have you ever been asked to audition/read for a role while you were away on a vacation?

A: Yes. Always. It's some actor-version of Murphy’s Law. I’ve taped audition scenes in airport waiting lounges. I'm very familiar with MacGyver-ing a tripod out of an ironing board and books in my hotel room. Nothing takes the air out of a vacation balloon like, “Hey, babe, I got a nine-page audition due tomorrow morning, so we're gonna have to push the basket-weaving thing you booked.”

Q: What untapped destination should people know about?

A: Hmm, it’s not untapped per-se, but I’m gonna go with Sardinia, Italy. For most North American travelers, Sardinia is beyond the usual Italian itinerary of Venice, Florence, Rome and Amalfi. I’m an island boy at heart and the relaxed vibe, warm welcome and unique culture that I experienced in Sardinia was a wonderful expansion of my understanding of Italy.

Q: What was a trip you took as a child that stands out?

A: I went to Hawaii when I was 12. It was my first tropical experience and it was mesmerizing. In retrospect, that’s definitely where my love for all things beach and island probably started. I still have very clear memories of hacking away at a freshly picked green coconut, or shoreline fishing at the crack of dawn and pulling never-ending “Finding Nemo” characters out of the sea.

Q: What's the most important thing you've learned from your travels?

A: People are the same everywhere. We just want to be around our friends and family, share a meal and feel like we’re doing well with our lives.

Q: If you could only pick one place to eat, would you prefer a food truck or fine dining?

A: Food truck. I’ve had so many preposterously delicious, fine-dining worthy meals from a truck or street stall. The added benefit of eating at a food truck is that it’s usually real-life adjacent. You get a truthful representation of the place you’re in. Think of it as seasoning! And don't sit too close to the road.

Q: Where are your favorite weekend getaways?

A: Osoyoos, a little town in the Okanagan Valley, which is our wine country in British Columbia. It’s Canada’s only true desert region with hot and dry summers and very similar vegetation to inland Arizona [or] California. It has an abundance of wineries, exquisite restaurants, beautiful hotels and B&Bs. The first time I was there, I was in disbelief that I wasn’t somewhere in the Southwest or the Mediterranean.

Q: What are your five favorite cities?

A: Toronto. Manila. Chiang Mai, Thailand. Lucca, Italy. Singapore.

Q: Where would you like to go that you have never been to before?

A: Peru! I’m drawn to the sense of scale and mystery of the place. My writing partner has family ties to Peru and we're working on a script partly set there.

Q: When you go away, what are some of your must-have items?

A: My Kindle, Stevia for my daily coffee and space in the luggage for whatever I wanna bring back.

Q: What is your guilty pleasure when you're on the road?

A: I truly believe that croissants and ice cream taste unique in every new location, so it's imperative to hunt out the local favorites. I also like to bring back chocolates.

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(Jae-Ha Kim is a New York Times bestselling author and journalist. You can reach her at www.jaehakim.com, follow her on Instagram and X @goawaywithjae, or read more from her on Substack (jaehakim.substack.com).)

©2026 Jae-Ha Kim. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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