B.L. How did the role come about for you in Spy Kids 2?
R.M. I had seen a picture called El Mariachi and I enjoyed it very much. I saw that a guy named Robert Rodriguez directed it and I was like, yes! A Latin director! Way to go! A Mexican; great. Then I heard that he did it for something like $7,000 and I thought that’s impossible. Maybe in high school with a handheld camera, but not a picture like that. So I became a great fan of his.

B.L. A beginning of a great relationship!
R.M. Yes, it was, and ironically shortly after that he called me and said that he wanted to meet me. So I said, of course. He came to my house and he told me that he wanted me in his next picture, Spy Kids 2 and I said anything that you want.

B.L. Actors are clamouring to work with this guy you know!
R.M. I know, I was very flattered, trust me. So he told me that it wouldn’t be a big part but he wanted me to be a part of it. I immediately said, "let's do it -- but you know that I can’t walk". I have a spinal cord injury and I am confined to using a walker forever. But he said, "no problem, we’ll put you in a wheelchair and it will be used as one of the gadgets that a spy would use". And it was a great asset to the movie.

B.L. Anything goes with Robert Rodriguez; the man has the most amazing imagination.
R.M. He is so good.

B.L. After you read the script, what did you like about it?
R.M. Robert Rodriguez! (laughing)

B.L. O.K., now was there something about the story that appealed to you? Especially being a grandfather?
R.M Yes. The role was so nicely written that I play for the Spanish father, nothing is good enough for my daughter. That theme was wonderful because Antonio Banderas’s character was going through the same thing with his daughter. Antonio is so great by the way. Such a nice man, wonderful to work; a real class act! We became very good friends, I really love him.

B.L. How did enjoy working with the kids Alexa and Daryl?
R.M. They are so talented and so sweet, both of them. They are wonderful and have such great personalities. You know, Robert has a very good eye for casting and these two kids are just fabulous and so professional too. The whole cast was amazing to work with.

B.L. Your career spans many years.
R.M. I started in 1941!

B.L. Amazing! Although you have made so many movies, I grew up watching Fantasy Island on television; it was the highlight of my Saturday night. I know this is a very tough question, but what for you was one of the big highlights of your career.
R.M. To be honest, I felt like I have never really had a good role, because Hollywood doesn’t really know how to write for Latins. Now it’s beginning to change a little bit, but they never wrote well for us. So over the years, I have supported a wife and four children and I did do many films that were not to my liking. I did them because you have to support your family. But once did I them I didn’t want to dismiss them. I always tried to do the best job that I could do with the role. So I went through years like that, but the only thing that I have done that was really wonderful were roles were on stage. I did One in Hell by George Bernard Shaw, a very difficult role; and The King and I . But as far as movies, I have never really had a great role. When Fantasy Island came along, it was very successful, lasting seven years. For the first time I was really able to accumulate enough money so that we could rest assured that our lives would be all right. I recently had this injury with my spinal cord so it is very difficult to find roles for me to play. So thanks to Fantasy Island we are living off the investments that we made.