Scott Foley Brings His Big Rom-Com Energy to Dreamy “La Dolce Villa” Trailer: 'I'm Never That Guy' (Exclusive)

Scott Foley has officially entered his romance era.

According to the Scandal alum, it's been more than two decades since he took on a role in a true rom-com — but that changes with Netflix's new Valentine's Day-friendly flick La Dolce Villa.

In the film, he plays Eric Field, a former chef-turned-businessman who travels to Italy to try to stop his daughter Olivia (Maia Reficco) from fixing up a dilapidated villa. In the process, sparks may or may not fly with the town's mayor, Francesca, played by Violante Placido.

"It's been since, I don't know, maybe A.U.S.A. [in 2003]?" Foley, 52, tells PEOPLE. "It's so strange because I feel like I fit the genre perfectly, and for whatever reason, I'm never that guy. And this was so fun to be that guy for a minute."

In the exclusive first trailer, Eric frets about Olivia's renovation plans and has several delightfully adorable run-ins with Francesca — all surrounded by stunning Italian vistas.

Related: Kinda Pregnant Trailer: Amy Schumer Finds Her Dream Man While Faking a Pregnancy in New Comedy (Exclusive)

"We filmed basically all of March and April of 2024 for about five weeks in and around Rome, and then we filmed two and a half, three weeks in these little villages in Tuscany," Foley says. "I'd been to Rome once when we were shooting Whiskey Cavalier [in Prague], but to be able to spend the amount of time that I did there ... was really special. I would get off work and walk for hours to sort of soak it all in."

In the trailer, Eric attempts to speak some Italian, and three older women in the town mock him for it. Foley admits he also doesn't really speak the language, though he also tried here and there.

"I'd try to use it when I was out on the streets of Rome by myself ordering pizza or getting some gelato," he says. "I was sure I was better than I was, and I just wasn't. I can do my best 'buongiorno' and try to roll the R's, and they'd look at me like, 'Yeah, what do you want?' "

Foley also had a great Italian scene partner to help him through it in Placido.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Related: Scott Foley's Daughter Malina, 14, Looks All Grown Up as She Joins Him in Rare Appearance

"I know that one of the important parts of this film was the woman playing my love interest was Italian and sort of exuded that energy and, man, she had it in spades," he says. "She has this presence about her that just felt quintessentially Italian. And she was such fun to work with."

The Felicity star was also excited to work with Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin actress Reficco, especially after his daughter gave the 24-year-old actress her seal of approval.

"They told me who she was, and as I was literally typing in her name [to look her up], I guess I said it out loud and my 15-year-old daughter was like, 'Oh yeah, I know her.' "

But that wasn't the only thing that impressed Foley about the young actress. "She was great. She went above and beyond," he raves. "She's so talented and kind and professional and so young."

The two have stayed in touch, and Foley and La Dolce Villa director Mark Waters even went to see Reficco perform in Broadway's Hadestown and were blown away. "She so talented, truly," he adds.

Related: The Sopranos' Lorraine Bracco Will Renovate an Italian Home She Bought for $1 in New HGTV Show

The fourth main character of the film, undeniably, is the villa Olivia buys for one Euro with the promise of fixing it up. The 1-Euro homes campaign is a real thing: It's an effort for economic redevelopment in rural Italian towns with an aging population. And it's something Foley, who is an impressive woodworker himself, would love to do.

"I'm all over it," he says. "The only reason I didn't buy one is because my wife was like, 'I will kill you.' But I love the idea."

For now, though, he's more than happy with his dreamy Italian movie moment. "This was fun, this was light, this was Italy," he says, "and I was so thrilled to get to do it."

La Dolce Villa is on Netflix Feb. 13.

Read the original article on People