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During a revealing discussion, Miranda Otto reflects on subjects as varied as her latest role as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the invaluable wisdom learned through onstage mishaps and meeting admirers.

Given the Chance to Become a Sea Creature for a Day

The most recent role is Queen 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 Clovelly beach – since it is like an institution, and people go there to see it. It strikes me as remarkable that a resident aquatic creature that folks genuinely go and see and talk about – it’s a special fish.

A Film Favorite to Revisit

Which movie do you always return to, and why?

The 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this film. When I was growing up, it used to come on the ABC every now and again, and one time I recorded it. I found it was hilarious. It stars the legendary 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 simply chuckled repeatedly. It’s such masterful work of comedy and the entire cast in it are superb. The director Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – which was not successful. But the original film is a brilliant comedy, to be watched often.

The Best Lesson Gained Through a Fellow Actor

What’s the best lesson you learned from someone you’ve worked with?

I was doing A Doll’s House with Pete – now my spouse, but at the time we were not together. We portrayed characters as scene partners and on opening night I stumbled – I skipped forward some dialogue in the script. I was unaware of my error but I suddenly realised things were off. I remember looking at him, and he completely saved me, 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. If you don’t know your place, by looking and look at the actors sharing the stage with, you can rediscover your correct position somehow. It is a profoundly collaborative endeavor, performing live. And secondly, to maintain a lighthearted attitude about it. Occasionally when a mistake occurs, things can ignite in a really great way if you’re really present in that moment. It can be an unexpected boon when things go completely the wrong way.

Heartening Interactions with Admirers

What’s been your most memorable interaction with a fan?

It’s not a single particular interaction but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I hear a lot of stories about what Eowyn impacted them when they were growing up … things that had happened in their lives and the extent to which Eowyn meant to them and was some kind of help to them in those times.

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

The most detailed inquiry concerns always about the stew her character prepares for Aragorn. “Did that stew taste really that bad?” It’s become a running gag, the entire episode about the stew, and everyone wants to know the contents of the stew, and how was it made, and do you think her skills improved now, or do you think she really is a poor chef? Fans seem, I think, obsessed with the comedy of that scene. And I go into great detail listing the ingredients that constituted the stew – because I remember the efforts made; such as adding pieces of red cotton to simulate the appearance like bits of veins in the meat. They went to great detail to make it look as bad as possible.

An Awkward Star Meeting

What was your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I attended a fitness session and there was a woman on a mat doing pilates, and the instructor remarked, “Hello Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I made some joke about, “oh, are you a journalist?” Because it’s an uncommon moniker and often when someone’s a Miranda, they work in media. I wasn’t really seeing who it was. And as she rose, it was Miranda Richardson. At that point, I didn’t know words. I still had to complete my class, and I felt so embarrassed. I wished to explain: “Oh my gosh, I do know your work!” I consider her talent is immense and I was just too starstruck to say anything.

The Origin of a Name

Articles have repeatedly stated that you were given your name from 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 learned via broadcast that they were inaugurating a shopping centre at that location, and she thought seemed a nice name.

Pandemonium 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 final product turned out incredibly well. But they just work in a distinct manner. The sense of time there is really different. Typically, you receive a call sheet and must arrive on set punctually. But this was sort of flexible – you come on set at one's convenience. It was a novel way of working for me. The elements were being assembled at the final moment, and sometimes they wouldn’t know the next location the next day how we were going to do it. And then you’d be in during a scene and wondering, “What was that noise that disturbed the scene? Oh, it’s the producer opening some champagne on set, because he’s making a party.” The result was excellent, but goodness, it’s a really different style of film-making.

A Secret Skill

What are you secretly good at?

I’ve always been an aptitude for numbers. I memorise numbers easier than I memorise words often, I’ve just got that kind of a brain. So I think if I hadn’t pursued acting, I probably would have entered a field involving numbers, like mathematics or finance.

The Finest Piece of Advice Given

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

During my time in secondary school, a speaker addressed us when we were graduating and they said, “don’t be afraid 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. Success, one rarely comprehends exactly how it happened. Failure, you learn so much more.