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Through a thoughtful conversation, Miranda Otto delves on subjects as varied as her latest role as a regal sea creature to the invaluable wisdom gleaned from theatrical mistakes and meeting admirers.

Given the Chance to Become a Fish for a Day

Your latest role is the monarch of the cuttlefish in The Pout-Pout Fish; supposing you had the opportunity to be a fish for a day, which one would you choose and why?

Straight away, that particular fish found at a specific shoreline – since it is like an institution, and individuals visit to see it. It strikes me it’s cool that a resident aquatic creature that folks genuinely go and see and talk about – it holds a unique status.

A Cinematic Favorite to Return To

Which movie do you always return to, 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 occasionally, and once I videotaped it. I found it was so funny. It stars Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Recently they were playing it at a cinema and it turned out that it was also the favourite film of an acquaintance, and so we went and just laughed repeatedly. It’s such masterful work of humor and all the actors in it are superb. Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – that wasn’t successful. But Lubitsch's version is a brilliant comedy, worth viewing often.

A Priceless Lesson Learned From a Co-Star

What’s the best lesson you learned from someone a colleague?

Years ago I performed in A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – my husband now, but at the time we were not a couple. We portrayed characters as scene partners and on opening night I stumbled – I skipped forward some dialogue in the script. I didn’t know what I’d done but I suddenly realised things were off. I recall looking at him, and he completely saved me, and then the scene regained momentum and proceeded splendidly. But I think the insight gained then was, first, always trust the individuals you’re working with. If you don’t know your place, by looking and toward the people sharing the stage with, you will find your correct position somehow. It is a profoundly collaborative endeavor, acting on stage. And secondly, to maintain a sense of fun about it. Sometimes when something goes wrong, things can ignite in a really great way if you’re really present in that moment. It may become an unexpected boon when things go absolutely awry.

Memorable Exchanges with Admirers

Can you describe your most memorable interaction with a fan?

It’s not just one specific meeting but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I hear a lot of accounts about how that character meant to them when they were growing up … events that occurred in their lives and how much Eowyn signified for them and was some kind of help to them during those periods.

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

The most specific inquiry concerns invariably regarding the stew that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Was the stew really that bad?” It’s become such a joke, the entire episode involving that dish, and everyone wants to know what was in the stew, and how was it made, and do you think she’s a better cook now, or do you think she really is a bad cook? People are, in my view, obsessed with the comedy of that scene. And I go into great detail describing the components that made up the concoction – as I recall the efforts made; like they even adding pieces of red cotton to make it look like blood vessels in the meat. The crew employed great detail to render it as unappetizing as they could.

An Awkward Celebrity Encounter

What was your most cringeworthy run-in with a famous person?

I attended a fitness session and there was a woman on a mat doing pilates, and the instructor remarked, “Hello Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I made a lighthearted remark about, “oh, are you a journalist?” Since Miranda is 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. At that point, I didn’t know what to say. I still had to complete my class, and I experienced intense awkwardness. I wished to explain: “Oh my gosh, I am aware of your work!” I think she’s so fabulous and I was just too starstruck to say anything.

The Source of a Moniker

Articles have confidently claimed that you were named after Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet you've mentioned stating otherwise – can you clarify this definitively?

Yes – I was named after the Sydney suburb. My mother heard on the radio that they were inaugurating a mall at Miranda, and the name seemed a pleasant choice.

Chaos on Location

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

While working in Brazil for the film Reaching for the Moon that was the most chaotic set I’ve ever worked on, and yet the film emerged incredibly well. But they just work in a distinct manner. Their concept of time there is unique. In Australia, you normally have a call sheet and must arrive on set by a certain time. But this was rather flexible – you come on set whenever you happen to be ready. It was a novel way of working for me. All aspects were all coming together at the very last minute, and at times they wouldn’t know where they were shooting the next day how we were going to do it. And then I would be in the middle of a scene and be like, “What caused that sound that just interrupted the scene? Oh, it’s the producer popping open some champagne during filming, to start a party.” The result was excellent, but wow, it’s a really different style of film-making.

A Hidden Skill

What are you secretly good at?

I’ve always been good with numbers. I memorise numbers more readily than I learn dialogue a lot of the time, I simply have that kind of a brain. So I think had I not ended up in acting, I likely might have worked in something to do with numbers, like math or finance.

The Finest Guidance Given

What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received?

During my time in high school, someone came to speak as we were graduating and they said, “don’t be afraid to fail” … an idea I consider is the best piece of advice, because you learn far more from failure than you learn from triumph. Success, one rarely comprehends exactly how it happened. With failure, the lessons are so much more.