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Through a thoughtful interview, Miranda Otto reflects on subjects as varied as her newest character as a regal sea creature to the invaluable wisdom gleaned from onstage mishaps and fan interactions.

If You Could Be 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 a specific shoreline – because it’s a local landmark, and people go there specifically to spot it. It strikes me it’s cool that a resident aquatic creature that people actually go and see and discuss – it’s a special fish.

A Cinematic 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 used to come on television occasionally, and one time I recorded it. I just thought it was so funny. It’s the legendary Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Recently they were showing it at a cinema and I discovered that it was also the favourite film of a friend of mine, and so we attended and just laughed repeatedly. It is a great piece of comedy and the entire cast in it are fantastic. Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – which was not as effective. But the original film is a brilliant comedy, worth viewing often.

The Best Insight Learned From a Fellow Actor

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

Years ago I performed in A Doll’s House with Pete – my husband now, but at the time we were not a couple. We were playing as scene partners and during the premiere I stumbled – I skipped forward a few lines in the script. I was unaware of my error but I suddenly realised something wasn’t right. I recall glancing toward him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then our performance took off again and went really, really well. But I think the insight gained in that moment was, firstly, always trust the individuals you’re working with. When you lose your place, by looking and toward the actors sharing the stage with, you will find your correct position in some way. It’s such communal thing, acting on stage. And secondly, just to have a sense of fun regarding it. Sometimes when something goes wrong, things can ignite in a wonderfully positive direction provided you are really present then. It can be an unexpected boon when things go completely the wrong way.

Heartening Interactions with Fans

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

There isn't a single specific meeting but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I am told numerous accounts about how that character 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 some kind of help to them during those periods.

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

The most detailed question is always about the stew that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Did that stew taste as terrible as it looked?” It’s become such a joke, the entire episode about the stew, and everyone wants to know what was in the stew, 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 components that constituted the stew – as I recall what they did; such as adding pieces of red cotton to make it look like blood vessels in the meat. They went to great detail to make it look as unappetizing as they could.

A Cringeworthy Star Meeting

What was your most embarrassing celebrity encounter?

I was at a fitness session and there was a woman on a mat doing pilates, and the instructor said to me, “Oh, Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I attempted a lighthearted remark inquiring, “might you be a journalist?” Because it’s an uncommon moniker and most of the time when someone’s a Miranda, they work in media. I wasn’t really seeing who it was. And as she rose, it was the actress Miranda Richardson. At that point, I was at a loss for words. I still had to complete my class, and I felt intense awkwardness. I wanted to say: “Oh my gosh, I am aware of who you are!” I think her talent is immense and I was just too starstruck to utter a syllable.

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 a district in Sydney. Mum learned via broadcast that they were inaugurating a mall at Miranda, and the name sounded like a pleasant choice.

Chaos on Set

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

While working in Brazil on Reaching for the Moon I experienced the most chaotic set I’ve ever worked on, and yet the final product turned out incredibly well. But they just work in such a different way. The sense of time there is really different. In Australia, you receive a schedule and you have to be 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. All aspects were all coming together at the final moment, and at times they wouldn’t know where they were shooting or how we were going to do it. And then I would be in during a scene and wondering, “What was that noise that just interrupted the scene? Ah, it was a crew member popping open some champagne during filming, because he’s making a party.” It turned out great, but goodness, it’s a distinct approach to film-making.

A Secret Skill

What are you secretly good at?

I’ve always been good with numbers. I retain numbers easier than I learn dialogue often, I simply have a numerically-oriented mind. So I believe if I hadn’t pursued acting, I probably would have worked in involving numbers, like math or accounting.

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, because you learn so much more from setbacks than you learn from triumph. With success, one rarely comprehends exactly how it happened. Failure, you learn abundant.