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Through a thoughtful discussion, Miranda Otto reflects on subjects as varied as her newest character as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the invaluable wisdom gleaned from theatrical mistakes and meeting admirers.

If You Could Be a Fish for a Day

Your latest 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 a local landmark, and people go there to see it. I just think it’s cool that a resident aquatic creature that people actually seek out and talk about – it holds a unique status.

A Film Staple to Return To

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 would air on television every now and again, and once I recorded it. I just thought it was hilarious. It’s the legendary Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Not long ago 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 is a great piece of comedy and all the actors in it are superb. The director Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – that wasn’t as effective. But the original film is a brilliant comedy, to be watched regularly.

A Priceless Insight Gained Through a Co-Star

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

I was doing A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – my husband now, but at the time we were not a couple. We were playing as scene partners and during the premiere I tripped up – I skipped forward a few lines in the script. I didn’t know what I’d done but I abruptly sensed things were off. I recall looking at him, and he completely saved me, and then the scene took off again and proceeded splendidly. However, I believe what I learned then was, firstly, consistently rely on the individuals in your scene. When you lose where you are, by looking and toward the actors you’re with, you will find your correct position in some way. It is a profoundly collaborative endeavor, 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 way provided you are fully engaged then. It can be an unexpected boon when things go completely awry.

Memorable Exchanges 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 how that character impacted them when they were younger … events that occurred in their lives and how much Eowyn meant to 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 detailed inquiry concerns invariably regarding the stew her character prepares for Aragorn. “Did that stew taste as terrible as it looked?” It’s become such a joke, the whole thing about the stew, and all fans wish to know what was in the stew, and how was it made, and in your opinion her skills improved now, or do you believe she really is a bad cook? People are, in my view, fascinated by the humour of that situation. And I go into lengthy descriptions describing the ingredients that constituted the stew – as I recall what they did; such as put bits of red cotton to make it look like blood vessels in the meat. The crew employed great detail to make it look as bad as they could.

A Cringeworthy Star Meeting

What’s been your most embarrassing celebrity encounter?

I was at a fitness session and another participant on a mat doing pilates, and the teacher remarked, “Hello Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I made some joke about, “oh, are you a journalist?” Because it’s an unusual name 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 the actress Miranda Richardson. At that point, I was at a loss for what to say. I was obliged to complete my class, and I felt intense awkwardness. I wanted to say: “Oh my gosh, I am aware of your work!” I consider she’s so fabulous and I was just too starstruck to utter a syllable.

The Source of a Name

Articles have repeatedly stated 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 once and for all?

Yes – I was named after a district in Sydney. My mother heard on the radio that they were inaugurating a shopping centre at that location, and she thought seemed a nice name.

Chaos on Location

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

When I was working in Brazil on Reaching for the Moon I experienced the most chaotic set I’ve ever worked on, and yet the final product emerged incredibly well. But they just work in a distinct manner. Their concept of time there is unique. In Australia, you normally have a call sheet and you have to be on set punctually. But this was rather open ended – one would appear whenever you happen to be ready. It was a really different way of working for me. All aspects were being assembled at the final moment, and at times they wouldn’t know the next location the next day how we were going to do it. And then I would be in during a scene and wondering, “What was that noise that disturbed the scene? Ah, it was the producer opening a bottle on set, because he’s making a party.” It turned out excellent, but wow, it’s a distinct style of film-making.

A Hidden Skill

What are you secretly good at?

I naturally possess an aptitude for numbers. I memorise numbers easier than I learn dialogue a lot of the time, I simply have a numerically-oriented mind. So I think had I not pursued acting, I likely might have entered a field involving numbers, like math or accounting.

The Finest Guidance Given

What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received?

During my time in high school, someone addressed us when we were graduating and stated, “don’t be afraid to fail” … which I think is supremely valuable counsel, because you learn so much more from setbacks than you learn from triumph. With success, one rarely comprehends exactly how it happened. With failure, you learn so much more.