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Through a thoughtful interview, Miranda Otto opens up on topics ranging from her latest role as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the profound lessons gleaned from theatrical mistakes and meeting admirers.

Given the Chance to Become a Fish for a Day

Your latest role is Queen of the Cuttlefish in The Pout-Pout Fish; if you could be a fish for a day, which one would you choose and why?

Straight away, that particular fish found at a specific shoreline – because it’s a local landmark, and people go there specifically to spot it. It strikes me as remarkable that there’s a local fish that folks genuinely go and see and discuss – it’s a special fish.

A Film Staple to Return To

What film do you repeatedly watch, and why?

The 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this picture. When I was growing up, it used to come on the ABC every now and again, and one time I videotaped it. I just thought it was so funny. It stars Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Not long ago they were showing it at a cinema and I discovered that it was also the favourite film of a friend of mine, and so we attended and just laughed repeatedly. It is a masterful work of comedy and all the actors in it are superb. The director Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – which was not successful. But Lubitsch's version is an exceptional farce, to be watched regularly.

A Priceless Insight Learned From a Fellow Actor

What is the most valuable lesson you took away from someone a colleague?

I was doing A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – now my spouse, but at the time we were not a couple. We were playing as scene partners and on opening night I tripped up – I jumped ahead some dialogue in the script. I was unaware what I’d done but I suddenly realised things were off. I recall looking at him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then the scene regained momentum and went really, really well. But I think the insight gained in that moment was, first, consistently rely on the individuals you’re working with. When you lose your place, by looking and toward the actors sharing the stage with, you will find where you’re meant to be somehow. It is a profoundly collaborative endeavor, performing live. And next, to maintain a sense of fun regarding it. Occasionally when something goes wrong, things actually spark off in a really great direction provided you are really present in that moment. It may become an unexpected boon when things go absolutely awry.

Heartening Exchanges with Fans

Can you describe your most memorable interaction with a fan?

There isn't a single specific meeting but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I hear a lot of accounts about how that character impacted them when they were younger … events that occurred in their lives and how much Eowyn meant to them and was a form of support to them during those periods.

What do you get asked most frequently by Lord of the Rings fans?

The most detailed inquiry concerns invariably regarding the stew her character prepares for Aragorn. “Was the stew really that bad?” It’s become a running gag, the entire episode involving that dish, and everyone wants to know what was in the stew, and its preparation method, and in your opinion her skills improved now, or do you believe she really is a bad cook? Fans seem, I think, obsessed with the humour of that situation. And I provide great detail describing the ingredients that made up the stew – because I remember what they did; like they even adding pieces of red cotton to make it look like bits of veins in the meat. They went to great detail to render it as bad as they could.

A Cringeworthy Celebrity Encounter

What was your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I was at a pilates class and there was a woman on a mat exercising, and the instructor remarked, “Oh, Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I attempted a lighthearted remark about, “oh, are you a journalist?” Because it’s an unusual name and most of the time when I meet another Miranda, they’re a journalist. I wasn’t really identified her. And as she rose, it was Miranda Richardson. Then I was at a loss for words. I was obliged to complete my class, and I experienced intense awkwardness. I wanted to say: “Oh my gosh, I am aware of your work!” I think her talent is immense and I was simply too awestruck to utter a syllable.

The Origin of a Moniker

Articles have repeatedly stated that you were given your name from Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet I’ve read stating otherwise – can you settle the matter definitively?

Indeed, I was christened for the Sydney suburb. Mum learned via broadcast that they were inaugurating a shopping centre at Miranda, and the name sounded like a pleasant choice.

Chaos on Location

What was the chaotic thing that’s ever happened on set?

When I was working in Brazil on Reaching for the Moon that was the most chaotic set of my career, and yet the film turned out incredibly well. But they just work in such a different way. The sense of time there is really different. In Australia, you normally have a schedule and must arrive on set by a certain time. But this was sort of flexible – one would appear at one's convenience. It was a novel approach for me. All aspects were being assembled at the final moment, and at times they wouldn’t know the next location or the methodology. And then I would be in the middle of a scene and be like, “What caused that sound that disturbed the scene? Oh, it’s a crew member popping open some champagne on set, to start a party.” It turned out excellent, but goodness, it’s a really different approach to film-making.

A Hidden Talent

Do you have a secretly good at?

I naturally possess an aptitude for numbers. I memorise numbers more readily than I learn dialogue often, I simply have a numerically-oriented mind. So I think if I hadn’t pursued acting, I probably would have worked in something to do with numbers, like mathematics or accounting.

The Finest Guidance Given

What is the greatest piece of advice you have ever received?

During my time in secondary school, someone addressed us as we were graduating and they said, “have no fear to fail” … an idea I consider is supremely valuable counsel, because you learn so much more from failure than you learn from success. Success, you never really comprehends exactly how it happened. Failure, the lessons are so much more.