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Through a thoughtful conversation, Miranda Otto delves on topics ranging from her latest role as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the invaluable wisdom learned through theatrical mistakes and meeting admirers.

If You Could Be a Sea Creature for a Day

Your latest role is Queen of the Cuttlefish in The Pout-Pout Fish; if you could be a fish for a day, which one would you choose and why?

Straight away, that particular fish residing near Clovelly beach – because it’s a local landmark, and individuals visit to see it. It strikes me it’s cool that a resident aquatic creature that folks genuinely seek out and talk about – it holds a unique status.

A Film Staple to Revisit

Which movie 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 the ABC every now and again, and one time I videotaped it. I just thought it was hilarious. It’s Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Recently they were playing it at the Ritz and I discovered that it was also the favourite film of an acquaintance, and so we went and just laughed and laughed. 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 Lubitsch's version is an exceptional farce, to be watched regularly.

A Priceless Lesson Learned From a Fellow Actor

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

I was doing A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – my husband now, but back then we were not a couple. We were playing as scene partners and on opening night I tripped up – I jumped ahead a few lines in the script. I was unaware what I’d done but I suddenly realised things were off. I remember looking at him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then the scene regained momentum and went really, really well. However, I believe the insight gained in that moment was, firstly, consistently rely on the individuals you’re working with. If you don’t know where you are, if you turn around and look at the actors sharing the stage with, you will find your correct position somehow. It’s such collaborative endeavor, performing live. And next, just to have a lighthearted attitude about it. Occasionally when something goes wrong, things actually spark off in a wonderfully positive direction if you’re really present in that moment. It can be an unexpected boon when things go completely awry.

Heartening Exchanges with Fans

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

It’s not a single particular interaction but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I hear a lot of accounts about how that character impacted them when they were growing up … things that had happened in their lives and the extent to which Eowyn signified for them and was some kind of help to them in those times.

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

The most specific inquiry concerns invariably regarding that infamous meal her character prepares for Aragorn. “Was the stew as terrible as it looked?” It’s become such a joke, the entire episode about the stew, and all fans wish to know the contents of the pot, 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? People are, I think, obsessed with the humour of that situation. And I provide great detail listing the components that constituted the concoction – 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 bad as possible.

An Awkward Celebrity Encounter

What’s been your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I was at a pilates class and another participant lying down doing pilates, and the instructor said to me, “Oh, Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I made a lighthearted remark about, “might you be a journalist?” Because it’s an uncommon moniker and most of the time when I meet another Miranda, they’re a journalist. I hadn't properly seeing who it was. And when she got up, it was Miranda Richardson. At that point, I was at a loss for what to say. I was obliged to stay and do my class, and I felt so embarrassed. I wanted to say: “Goodness, I do know your work!” I consider she’s so fabulous and I was just too starstruck to utter a syllable.

The Origin of a Name

It’s been confidently claimed that you were named after Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet I’ve read stating otherwise – can you settle the matter definitively?

Indeed, I was christened for the Sydney suburb. Mum heard on the radio that they were inaugurating a shopping centre at that location, and the name seemed a pleasant choice.

Pandemonium on Location

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 most chaotic set I’ve ever worked on, and yet the final product emerged brilliantly. But they just work in a distinct manner. The sense of time there is unique. In Australia, you normally have a call sheet and you have to be on set by a certain time. But this was rather open ended – you come on set whenever you happen to be ready. It was a really different approach for me. All aspects were being assembled at the very last minute, and at times they wouldn’t know the next location the next day the methodology. And then you’d be in during a scene and wondering, “What was that noise that just interrupted the scene? Ah, it was a crew member opening a bottle during filming, because he’s making a party.” It turned out excellent, but goodness, it’s a really different approach to film-making.

A Secret Skill

What are you secretly good at?

I’ve always been good with numbers. I memorise numbers easier than I learn dialogue often, I’ve just got a numerically-oriented mind. So I believe had I not ended up in acting, I likely might have entered a field something to do with numbers, like math or accounting.

The Finest Piece of Advice Given

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

When I was in secondary school, a speaker came to speak when we were graduating and they said, “have no fear to fail” … an idea I consider is supremely valuable counsel, since one gains so much more from failure than you learn from success. Success, one rarely comprehends exactly how it happened. Failure, the lessons are abundant.