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Through a thoughtful interview, Miranda Otto opens up on topics ranging from her newest character as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the profound lessons gleaned from theatrical mistakes and fan interactions.

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; supposing you had the opportunity to be a fish for a day, which one would you choose and why?

Straight away, the blue groper residing near a specific shoreline – since it is like an institution, and individuals visit specifically to spot it. I just think it’s cool that there’s a local fish that people actually go and see and talk about – it holds a unique status.

A Film Favorite to Revisit

What film do you always return to, and why?

The 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this film. During my childhood, it used to come on the ABC occasionally, and once I recorded it. I found it was hilarious. It stars Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Recently they were playing it at a cinema and it turned out that it was the preferred movie of a friend of mine, and so we attended and just laughed repeatedly. It’s such great piece of humor and the entire cast in it are superb. The director Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – which was not successful. But Lubitsch's version is a brilliant comedy, worth viewing often.

A Priceless Insight Learned From a Fellow Actor

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

Years ago I performed in A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – now my spouse, but back then we were not a couple. We were playing as scene partners and during the premiere I tripped up – I jumped ahead some dialogue in the script. I was unaware what I’d done but I abruptly sensed something wasn’t right. I remember looking at him, and he completely saved me, and then the scene regained momentum and went really, really well. However, I believe the insight gained in that moment was, first, consistently rely on the individuals you’re working with. If you don’t know your place, by looking and look at the people you’re with, you can rediscover your correct position somehow. It is a profoundly collaborative endeavor, acting on stage. And secondly, just to have a sense of fun regarding it. Occasionally when a mistake occurs, things actually spark off in a wonderfully positive way if you’re really present in that moment. It can be an unexpected boon when things go absolutely awry.

Heartening Interactions with Fans

Can you describe your most touching interaction with a fan?

It’s not a single particular interaction but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I am told numerous accounts about how that character meant to them when they were younger … things that had happened in their lives and how much that character 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 specific question is always about the stew that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Was the stew as terrible as it looked?” It has evolved into such a joke, the whole thing about the stew, and all fans wish to know the contents of the pot, and how was it made, and in your opinion her skills improved 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 go into great detail describing the components that made up the concoction – as I recall the efforts made; like they even put bits of red cotton to simulate the appearance like blood vessels in the meat. They went to great detail to make it look as bad as they could.

A Cringeworthy Celebrity Meeting

What’s been your most embarrassing celebrity encounter?

I attended a pilates class and another participant on a mat exercising, and the teacher remarked, “Hello Miranda, this is 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. Then I was at a loss for words. I still had to stay and do my class, and I felt so embarrassed. I wished to explain: “Goodness, I am aware of who you are!” I consider she’s so fabulous and I was simply too awestruck to utter a syllable.

The Source of a Moniker

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

Indeed, I was named after the Sydney suburb. My mother heard on the radio that they were opening a mall at Miranda, and she thought seemed a nice name.

Chaos on Location

What was the 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 the local crew operated in such a different way. The sense of time there is unique. Typically, you receive a call sheet and must arrive on set by a certain time. But this was rather flexible – one would appear at one's convenience. It was a really different approach for me. The elements were all coming together at the very last minute, 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? Ah, it was the producer opening some champagne during filming, because he’s making a party.” It turned out excellent, but wow, it’s a distinct style of film-making.

A Secret Talent

What are you secretly good at?

I’ve always been good with numbers. I memorise numbers easier than I memorise words a lot of the time, I simply have a numerically-oriented mind. So I believe if I hadn’t ended up in acting, I likely might have worked in involving numbers, like math or finance.

The Best Piece of Advice Given

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, “have no fear to fail” … an idea I consider is the best piece of advice, since one gains so much more from failure than is gained from success. With success, you never really comprehends exactly how it happened. Failure, the lessons are so much more.