Actor Russell Hornsby is technically based out of Los Angeles, but he has lived in Portland, Ore., for the past six years working on the NBC series “Grimm.” His latest role is opposite Denzel Washington and Viola Davis in the feature film adaptation of “Fences,” the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama by August Wilson.

“We filmed in Pittsburgh, which is the setting for ‘Fences.' It added a level of authenticity, and the city became another character,” Hornsby said. “My father is from there and I had been there as a young child, but it felt like this was my first real time in Pittsburgh. It's a burgeoning city that came out of the rubble of the steel mill and created a new identity. The city offers so much and has also become a very foodie-friendly city that embraces artists. I look forward to returning.”

An edited version of our conversation follows.

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What are some of your favorite destinations?

We've been to Venice and Florence, had beautiful times in Istanbul, Hong Kong, Seoul, and spent a couple days exploring Vietnam. A few years ago, we had a wonderful opportunity to go to Africa and visited Cape Town, Johannesburg and Tanzania. We went on a safari in Namibia. We went on our honeymoon in Australia. My wife has colleagues in Melbourne, and we went there during their summer. We went to the Sydney Opera House and saw “M. Butterfly.” We've been to France and London.

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It seems like your wife likes to travel as much as you do.

The first question she asked me when we met was, “Do you have a passport?” Of course, I did. I had been to England and France and parts of Sweden. I didn't realize until later that she was testing me. In 2007, I finished a play, and we went to Italy together and had a wonderful time. We turned out to be great travel partners. Years later, she admitted that if we hadn't traveled well, it would've been over between us. (Laughs.) She really got me excited to go to places and travel as much as possible. Whenever we had a week or two free, we would get on a plane and go. We never stayed still. We would just get up and go to Nicaragua, Peru, wherever. We always wanted to go someplace warm when we were living in New York.

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Do you travel much with your son?

Yes. He could be a platinum member of American Airlines. He has been flying back and forth since he was 3 months old, between Portland, New York and Boston, where we have family. Last year, when he was 6 months old, we went to Costa Rica so that we could be in the sun. My wife is pregnant with another baby, due on March 28, and we're planning on taking both boys with us everywhere.

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Not everyone has the time or money to visit a foreign country. What do you recommend to them?

It's just about stepping out of your comfort zone and not being afraid of trying new things. Even in your hometown, there are plenty of things to see and do. Try different restaurants, walk through different neighborhoods and experience the different cultures that are just miles away from you. Go visit museums and do things that people don't take advantage of unless they're showing guests around. Be a tourist in your own city.

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