Not all of us are lucky enough to turn our wildest fantasies into a reality. However, those who have had their dreams come true may be the first to tell you that there is a very big difference between hope and reality.

The series Fantasy Island frequently explored this theme. The series ran for seven years, focusing on a mysterious island frequently visited by guests hoping to make their dreams come true. While many wishes were certainly fulfilled, many characters ended the episode with the realization that their goals weren’t as aspirational as they originally assumed.

After spending seven years starring as the mysterious Mr. Roarke, Ricardo Montalbán had learned the lessons of Fantasy Island better than anyone else.

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“I think people vicariously can live in a fantasy,” said Montalbán during an interview with the Green Bay Press-Gazette. “What is appealing is the idea of attaining the unattainable and learning from it. Once you obtain a fantasy, it becomes a reality, and that reality is not as exciting as the fantasy. So through the fantasies, you learn to appreciate your own realities.”

Of course, while Mr. Roarke puzzles the guests and audiences, Montalbán understood his character better than anyone else. “When I first read the script, I said, ‘Who is this man?’” asked Montalbán.

So talented was Montalbán that audiences actually hoped his role would grow as the show progressed. “Our research shows that people want Mr. Roarke to be more involved in the stories,” said the actor. “But I don’t want to be so involved that it starts wearing thin. Ideally, he is only on screen when it is meaningful to the story.”