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Through a thoughtful discussion, Miranda Otto opens up on subjects as varied as her newest character as a regal sea creature to the invaluable wisdom gleaned from theatrical mistakes and fan interactions.

If You Could Be a Sea Creature for a Day

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

Without hesitation, that particular fish residing near a specific shoreline – since it is a local landmark, and individuals visit to see it. It strikes me it’s cool that a resident aquatic creature that folks genuinely seek out and talk about – it holds a unique status.

A Film Staple to Return To

What film do you always return to, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I love this film. During my childhood, it would air on the ABC every now and again, and one time I recorded it. I found it was so funny. It stars the legendary Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Not long ago they were showing it at a cinema and it turned out that it was also the favourite film of a friend of mine, and so we went and simply chuckled and laughed. It’s such masterful work of comedy and the entire cast in it are fantastic. Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – which was not successful. But the original film is an exceptional farce, worth viewing often.

The Best Insight Learned From a Co-Star

What is the most valuable lesson you learned 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 a few lines in the script. I was unaware what I’d done but I suddenly realised things were off. I recall glancing toward him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then the scene regained momentum and went really, really well. However, I believe what I learned then was, firstly, consistently rely on the individuals you’re working with. If you don’t know your place, by looking and look at the actors you’re with, you can rediscover where you’re meant to be somehow. It is a profoundly collaborative endeavor, performing live. And secondly, to maintain a sense of fun regarding it. Occasionally when a mistake occurs, things actually spark off in a really great way provided you are really present then. It may become a gift when things go completely the wrong way.

Heartening Exchanges with Fans

What’s been your most touching encounter with a fan?

It’s not a single particular interaction but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I am told numerous accounts about what Eowyn meant to them when they were growing up … events that occurred in their lives and the extent to which Eowyn signified for 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 question is invariably regarding that infamous meal her character prepares for Aragorn. “Was the stew as terrible as it looked?” It has evolved into a running gag, the entire episode involving that dish, and all fans wish to know the contents of the pot, and how was it made, and do you think she’s a better cook now, or do you believe she really is a poor chef? People are, I think, obsessed with the comedy of that situation. And I go into great detail listing the ingredients that made up the concoction – because I remember what they did; such as adding pieces of colored thread to simulate the appearance like bits of veins in the meat. The crew employed great detail to render it as unappetizing as possible.

An Awkward Star Meeting

What was your most embarrassing celebrity encounter?

I attended a fitness session and another participant on a mat doing pilates, and the teacher said to me, “Oh, Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I attempted some joke about, “might you be a journalist?” Since Miranda is an uncommon moniker and most of the time when I meet another Miranda, they work in media. I hadn't properly seeing who it was. And as she rose, it was Miranda Richardson. At that point, I was at a loss for words. I was obliged to stay and do my class, and I felt so embarrassed. I wished to explain: “Goodness, I do know who you are!” I consider her talent is immense and I was simply too awestruck to say anything.

The Source of a Name

It’s been confidently claimed that you were named after 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. My mother heard on the radio that they were inaugurating a mall at Miranda, and the name seemed a pleasant choice.

Chaos on Set

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 least organized set of my career, and yet the final product emerged brilliantly. But the local crew operated in a distinct manner. Their concept of time there is unique. In Australia, you normally have a call sheet and you have to be on set by a certain time. But this was rather flexible – one would appear at one's convenience. It was a novel way of working for me. The elements were being assembled at the very last minute, and sometimes they wouldn’t know the next location or the methodology. And then you’d be in the middle of a scene and wondering, “What caused that sound that just interrupted the scene? Oh, it’s a crew member popping open some champagne during filming, to start a party.” It turned out excellent, but goodness, it’s a really different approach to film-making.

A Hidden Skill

What are you secretly good at?

I’ve always been good with numbers. I memorise numbers easier than I memorise words often, I’ve just got a numerically-oriented mind. So I think had I not pursued acting, I probably would have worked in something to do with numbers, like mathematics or finance.

The Best Piece of Advice Ever Received

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

During my time in secondary school, a speaker came to speak when we were graduating and stated, “don’t be afraid to fail” … an idea I consider is the best piece of advice, since one gains so much more from setbacks than you learn from success. Success, you never really comprehends exactly how it happened. With failure, the lessons are so much more.