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Ricardo Montalbán said his character on Fantasy Island is who he'd want to be in real life
Fantasy Island allowed Ricardo Montalbán to live out a fantasy of his own!
Ricardo Montalbán's character on Fantasy Island was an elegant man in more ways than one. Montalbán played the role of Mr. Roarke, the mysterious host of a luxurious tropical resort where guests could live out their deepest fantasies.
He also happened to look great in a suit—but that's just an added bonus.
In a 1978 interview with The Birmingham News, Montalbán explained how Fantasy Island helped make him a star. Before the show, he had a long and steady career—even notably appearing on Star Trek as Khan—but no roles that truly allowed him to stand out
Taking the part of Mr. Roarke really propelled him forward and allowed him to live out his ultimate fantasy in return: to be a star.
"I love this role," Montalbán said. "There are not many roles written for people like me, with my obvious limitations of accent. I'm looking forward to this series. I like the character, I like the idea. It has many possibilities. There are no limitations on what we can do in this series."
And that was true. Fantasy Island was a place where people could do what they wanted, and behind the scenes, actors and producers followed suit. The show was a dream come true for him.
In fact, he not only loved his character, but at times he would have rather been Mr. Roarke himself.
"This Mr. Roarke is just the kind of man I'd like to be," Montalbán said. "You never quite get to know him, but you always want to. You never know his limitations, if he has any. I suspect that on Fantasy Island, he doesn’t care about money. He operates on a different level than mere mortals. Who is Mr. Roarke? No one ever really knows. But on Fantasy Island, where anything is possible, he sets the rules—and only he can change them."
According to the interview, Montalbán preferred television to movies, probably because, like his character, it allowed him to be who he wanted to be and play someone he'd always dreamed of being in real life.
"The main thing that people who come to the island and experience their fantasy will learn is how to appreciate reality," Montalbán said. "Perhaps some viewers will learn this, too. We hope so."
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