Fantasy Island's Hervé Villechaize: A groundbreaking actor in an industry that undervalues minority groups
The man who played Tattoo fought for better pay.
Journalist Sacha Gervasi was the last person to interview Hervé Villechaize, who played Tattoo on Fantasy Island. In addition to his role in The Man With the Golden Gun, Villechaize's appearances on Fantasy Island made him an instantly-identifiable celebrity. Because of his dwarfism and unique features, he was very suddenly extremely recognizable.
Gervasi became a go-to source for Villechaize stories after the actor's death: The journalist was entrusted with the vulnerable Villechaize's final recollections before his subject died right after their conversation in 1993.
Because Gervasi became the authority for all things Hervé Villechaize, in 2018, he was asked whether the actor's dismissal from Fantasy Island was deserved, following accusations that Villechaize had become too difficult to work with.
"I’m sort of divided. On one hand, you could say he was very forward-thinking because he was a minority demanding equal pay. On the other hand, I’m mindful of the story Leonard Goldberg told me. He produced Fantasy Island, and he told me Hervé had been living in a homeless shelter in downtown LA, and somehow they found him, showed him the Fantasy Island pilot script, and Hervé couldn’t believe it. When he came into their office, he had tears in his eyes and said, 'Thank you. You have no idea, you saved my life. I was about to die.' Leonard said within 18 months of that moment of humility and gratitude, Hervé had become a nightmare, and was demanding the same size trailer as Ricardo Montalban. In one sense, yes, he was very forward-thinking, but with random fame that’s so gigantic and sudden, like his was— [...] It blows your mind. And he couldn’t cope."
The important takeaway, though, was the way Villechaize advocated for himself and his needs. Tattoo was an iconic piece of what made Fantasy Island beloved and memorable for millions of American viewers. His requests to be properly compensated were a risk, and he paved the way for many other minorities in Hollywood who wouldn't accept being underpaid for their work.















