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Through a thoughtful interview, Miranda Otto delves on topics ranging from her latest role as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the invaluable wisdom gleaned from onstage mishaps and meeting admirers.

Given the Chance to Become a Fish for a Day

Your latest 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 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 go and see and discuss – it’s a special fish.

A Cinematic Staple to Revisit

Which movie do you always return to, and why?

The 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this picture. When I was growing up, it would air on the ABC every now and again, and one time I recorded it. I just thought it was so funny. It stars the legendary Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Not long ago they were playing it at a cinema and I discovered that it was also the favourite film of an acquaintance, and so we went and simply chuckled repeatedly. It is a masterful work of comedy and all the actors in it are fantastic. The director Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – which was not as effective. But Lubitsch's version is a brilliant comedy, to be watched often.

The Best Insight Gained Through a Fellow Actor

What is the most valuable lesson you took away from someone a colleague?

I was doing A Doll’s House with Pete – now my spouse, but back then we were not together. We portrayed characters opposite each other and on opening night I tripped up – I skipped forward some dialogue in the script. I didn’t know of my error but I abruptly sensed 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. But I think what I learned in that moment was, firstly, always trust the individuals you’re working with. When you lose where you are, if you turn around and look at the people sharing the stage with, you can rediscover where you’re meant to be in some way. It’s such collaborative endeavor, performing live. And next, to maintain a lighthearted attitude regarding it. Occasionally when something goes wrong, things can ignite in a wonderfully positive direction if you’re fully engaged then. It may become a gift when things go completely awry.

Heartening Exchanges with Admirers

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

It’s not 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 growing up … things that had happened in their lives and how much that character meant to them and was some kind of help to them during those periods.

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

The most specific inquiry concerns invariably regarding the stew that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Did that stew taste really that bad?” It’s become a running gag, the whole thing about the stew, and everyone wants to know what was in the pot, and how was it made, and do you think she’s a better cook now, or do you think she really is a poor chef? Fans seem, I think, obsessed with the humour of that scene. And I provide lengthy descriptions listing the components that made up the concoction – because I remember what they did; like they even put bits of colored thread to simulate the appearance like blood vessels in the meat. The crew employed great detail to render it as bad as they could.

A Cringeworthy Star Meeting

What’s been your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I attended a fitness session and another participant lying down exercising, and the teacher said to me, “Hello Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I attempted a lighthearted remark inquiring, “oh, are you a journalist?” Because it’s an uncommon moniker and most of the time when someone’s a Miranda, they’re a journalist. I wasn’t really identified her. And as she rose, it was the actress Miranda Richardson. Then I didn’t know words. I was obliged to complete my class, and I felt intense awkwardness. I wished to explain: “Oh my gosh, I am aware of who you are!” I consider her talent is immense and I was just too starstruck to say anything.

The Origin of a Moniker

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 clarify this once and for all?

Indeed, I was christened for a district in Sydney. Mum heard on the radio that they were inaugurating a mall at that location, and she thought 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 that was the least organized set of my career, and yet the final product emerged incredibly well. But the local crew operated in a distinct manner. The sense of time there is unique. In Australia, you receive a schedule and you have to be on set by a certain time. But this was rather open ended – one would appear at one's convenience. It was a novel approach for me. The elements were being assembled at the final moment, and sometimes they wouldn’t know where they were shooting or the methodology. And then I would be in the middle of a scene and be like, “What caused that sound that just interrupted the scene? Ah, it was a crew member opening a bottle on set, because he’s making a party.” The result was excellent, but goodness, it’s a really different approach to film-making.

A Hidden Talent

What are you secretly good at?

I’ve always been an aptitude for numbers. I memorise numbers easier than I memorise words often, I simply have that kind of a brain. So I believe if I hadn’t pursued acting, I probably would have worked in involving numbers, like mathematics or finance.

The Finest Piece of Advice Ever Received

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

During my time in secondary school, a speaker addressed us as we were graduating and stated, “have no fear to fail” … an idea I consider is the best piece of advice, since one gains far more from failure than is gained from triumph. Success, you never really understand precisely why it happened. With failure, you learn so much more.