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Through a thoughtful conversation, Miranda Otto delves on subjects as varied as her newest character as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the profound lessons learned through theatrical mistakes and meeting admirers.

Given the Chance to Become a Sea Creature for a Day

The most recent character portrays 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, the blue groper found at a specific shoreline – because it’s like an institution, and individuals visit specifically to spot it. I just think it’s cool that there’s a local fish that folks genuinely go and see and talk about – it’s a special fish.

A Cinematic Favorite to Return To

What film do you always return to, and why?

The 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this film. During my childhood, it used to come on television occasionally, and once I videotaped it. I just thought it was so funny. It’s Carole Lombard and 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 went and simply chuckled repeatedly. It’s such masterful work of comedy and all the actors in it are superb. The director Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – which was not as effective. But the original film is a brilliant comedy, worth viewing regularly.

A Priceless Insight Learned From a Fellow Actor

What’s the best lesson you took away 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 were playing as scene partners and on opening night I stumbled – I skipped forward a few lines in the script. I didn’t know of my error but I abruptly sensed things were off. I recall glancing toward him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then our performance regained momentum and proceeded splendidly. However, I believe the insight gained then was, firstly, consistently rely on the individuals in your scene. When you lose your place, if you turn around and look at the people you’re with, you can rediscover where you’re meant to be somehow. It’s such communal thing, performing live. And next, to maintain a lighthearted attitude about it. Sometimes when something goes wrong, things can ignite in a wonderfully positive way if you’re fully engaged then. It may become a gift when things go absolutely the wrong way.

Memorable Interactions with Admirers

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

There isn't just one specific meeting but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I hear a lot of accounts about what Eowyn impacted them when they were younger … events that occurred in their lives and the extent to which Eowyn signified for them and was some kind of help to them during those periods.

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

The most detailed question is always about the stew that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Was the stew really that bad?” It has evolved into a running gag, the entire episode about the stew, and everyone wants to know what was in the pot, and its preparation method, and do you think her skills improved now, or do you think she really is a bad cook? Fans seem, in my view, fascinated by the humour of that scene. And I go into great detail listing the ingredients that made up the stew – as I recall the efforts made; like they even put bits of red cotton to make it look like blood vessels in the meat. They went to extreme measures to render it as unappetizing as possible.

A Cringeworthy Celebrity Encounter

What was your most embarrassing celebrity encounter?

I attended a fitness session and there was a woman lying down doing pilates, and the instructor remarked, “Hello Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I attempted a lighthearted remark inquiring, “oh, are you a journalist?” Since Miranda is an unusual name and often when someone’s a Miranda, they work in media. 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 was obliged to stay and do my class, and I experienced intense awkwardness. I wished to explain: “Oh my gosh, I do know your work!” I think her talent is immense and I was simply too awestruck to utter a syllable.

The Source of a Moniker

Articles have repeatedly stated 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 clarify this once and for all?

Indeed, I was christened for the Sydney suburb. Mum heard on the radio that they were inaugurating a mall at that location, and she thought sounded like a nice name.

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 least organized set I’ve ever worked on, and yet the final product emerged brilliantly. But the local crew operated in a distinct manner. Their concept of time there is really different. In Australia, you receive a schedule and you have to be on set by a certain time. But this was sort of open ended – you come on set whenever you happen to be ready. It was a novel approach for me. The elements were being assembled at the final moment, and sometimes they wouldn’t know the next location or how we were going to do it. And then you’d be in during a scene and be like, “What was that noise that disturbed the scene? Ah, it was the producer opening some champagne during filming, to start a party.” The result was great, but wow, it’s a really different style of film-making.

A Secret Talent

What are you secretly good at?

I naturally possess good with numbers. I retain numbers more readily than I memorise words a lot of the time, I simply have that kind of a brain. So I believe had I not ended up in acting, I probably would have entered a field something to do with numbers, like math or accounting.

The Finest Guidance Given

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

When I was in secondary school, someone addressed us when we were graduating and stated, “have no fear to fail” … an idea I consider is supremely valuable counsel, because you learn far more from failure than you learn from triumph. With success, one rarely understand precisely why it happened. Failure, the lessons are so much more.