As the passionate and headstrong Dr. Andrew DeLuca on the medical drama Grey’s Anatomy, Canadian–Italian actor Giacomo Gianniotti has faced his fair share of disasters, from rescuing victims from a collapsed tunnel to trekking through a blizzard to retrieve a liver needed for a transplant. But in the upcoming 17th season, which premieres on November 12 on CTV, DeLuca and Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital are tackling their biggest emergency yet: the coronavirus pandemic. Since March, the Rome–born, Toronto–raised Gianniotti has been in Los Angeles, where Grey’s shoots, and collaborating with Canadian outerwear brand Nobis as their global brand ambassador. This month Nobis launched No Cold Shoulder, a virtual coat drive for vulnerable communities around the world. “For households with multiple children, a jacket can be a big expense. We thought this would be a nice way to alleviate the burden of winter,” says Gianniotti.
Ahead of the Grey’s premiere, we spoke with Gianniotti about what fans can expect this season, and how his Italian roots helped shape DeLuca and his travel rituals.