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Through a thoughtful conversation, Miranda Otto delves on topics ranging from her newest character as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the profound lessons learned through onstage mishaps and meeting admirers.

Given the Chance to Become a Sea Creature for a Day

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

Without hesitation, the blue groper residing near Clovelly beach – because it’s like an institution, and individuals visit to see it. It strikes me as remarkable that a resident aquatic creature that people actually go and see and discuss – it’s a special fish.

A Cinematic Staple to Revisit

What film do you repeatedly watch, and why?

The 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this film. During my growing up, it used to come on the ABC occasionally, and once I recorded it. I found it was hilarious. It’s the legendary Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Recently they were playing it at the Ritz and I discovered that it was the preferred movie 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. Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – which was not as effective. But the original film is an exceptional farce, to be watched regularly.

The Best Insight Learned From a Fellow Actor

What is the most valuable lesson you learned from someone you’ve worked with?

Years ago I performed in A Doll’s House with Pete – now my spouse, but at the time we were not a couple. We portrayed characters opposite each other and during the premiere I stumbled – I jumped ahead some dialogue in the script. I was unaware of my error but I suddenly realised things were off. I recall glancing toward him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then our performance regained momentum and proceeded splendidly. But I think the insight gained in that moment was, firstly, always trust the people you’re working with. When you lose your place, if you turn around and look at the people sharing the stage with, you will find your correct position somehow. It’s such communal thing, acting on stage. And secondly, just to have a lighthearted attitude about it. Sometimes when something goes wrong, things actually spark off in a really great direction if you’re really present then. It can be a gift when things go absolutely awry.

Memorable Exchanges with Fans

Can you describe your most memorable encounter 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 what Eowyn impacted them when they were younger … things that had happened in their lives and how much that character meant to them and was a form of support to them during those periods.

Which questions get asked about the most by Lord of the Rings fans?

The most specific inquiry concerns invariably regarding the stew that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Did that stew taste really that bad?” It has evolved into such a joke, the whole thing about the stew, and everyone wants to know what was in the stew, and how was it made, and in your opinion she’s a better cook now, or do you think she really is a poor chef? Fans seem, in my view, obsessed with the comedy of that scene. And I provide great detail describing the ingredients that made up the concoction – because I remember the efforts made; such as put bits of red cotton to make it look like bits of veins in the meat. The crew employed great detail to render it as unappetizing as they could.

An Awkward Star Meeting

What’s been your most cringeworthy run-in with a famous person?

I attended a fitness session and there was a woman lying down doing pilates, and the teacher said to me, “Oh, Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I made a lighthearted remark inquiring, “might you be a journalist?” Because it’s 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. Then I was at a loss for what to say. I still had to complete 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 utter a syllable.

The Origin of a Name

Articles have confidently claimed that you were given your name from Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet you've mentioned you saying otherwise – can you settle the matter definitively?

Indeed, I was christened for the Sydney suburb. My mother learned via broadcast that they were inaugurating a mall at Miranda, and the name seemed a pleasant choice.

Pandemonium on Set

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

When I was working in Brazil on Reaching for the Moon that was the least organized set I’ve ever worked on, and yet the final product emerged incredibly well. But the local crew operated in such a different way. The sense of time there is unique. In Australia, you receive a schedule and you have to be on set by a certain time. But this was sort of flexible – one would appear at one's convenience. It was a novel way of working for me. The elements were all coming together at the very last minute, and sometimes the plan was unclear the next location the next day 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 a bottle on set, to start a party.” The result was great, but wow, it’s a really different approach to film-making.

A Secret Talent

What are you secretly good at?

I’ve always been an aptitude for numbers. I memorise numbers more readily than I learn dialogue a lot of the time, I’ve just got a numerically-oriented mind. So I believe if I hadn’t pursued acting, I likely might have worked in involving numbers, like mathematics or finance.

The Best Guidance Ever Received

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

When I was in secondary school, a speaker addressed us as we were graduating and they said, “don’t be afraid to fail” … which I think is the best piece of advice, because you learn so much more from failure than you learn from triumph. With success, you never really understand exactly how it happened. With failure, the lessons are so much more.