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During a revealing interview, Miranda Otto delves on topics ranging from her latest role as a regal sea creature to the profound lessons learned through theatrical mistakes and meeting admirers.

If You Could Be a Fish 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 you choose and why?

Without hesitation, the blue groper residing near a specific shoreline – because it’s like an institution, and individuals visit to see it. I just think it’s cool that a resident aquatic creature that people actually seek out and discuss – it holds a unique status.

A Cinematic Favorite to Return To

Which movie do you repeatedly watch, and why?

The 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this picture. During my childhood, it would air on the ABC every now and again, and one time I videotaped it. I just thought it was hilarious. It stars the legendary Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Recently they were playing it at the Ritz and it turned out that it was also the favourite film of an acquaintance, and so we attended and just laughed repeatedly. It’s such masterful work of humor and all the actors in it are superb. The director Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – that wasn’t successful. But Lubitsch's version is an exceptional farce, worth viewing often.

A Priceless Lesson Gained Through a Fellow Actor

What is the most valuable lesson you learned from someone you’ve worked with?

I was doing A Doll’s House with Pete – my husband now, but back then we were not together. We portrayed characters as scene partners and during the premiere I stumbled – I skipped forward some dialogue in the script. I didn’t know of my error but I suddenly realised something wasn’t right. I recall glancing toward him, and he completely saved me, and then our performance took off again and went really, really well. However, I believe what I learned then was, first, always trust the individuals in your scene. When you lose your place, if you turn around and look at the actors you’re with, you can rediscover where you’re meant to be in some way. It is a profoundly collaborative endeavor, performing live. And next, to maintain a sense of fun regarding it. Sometimes when something goes wrong, things can ignite in a wonderfully positive way provided you are fully engaged in that moment. It may become an unexpected boon when things go absolutely awry.

Heartening Exchanges with Admirers

Can you describe your most touching 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 accounts about what Eowyn impacted them when they were growing up … things that had happened in their lives and how much Eowyn signified for them and was a form of support to them during those periods.

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

The most specific question is always about the stew her character prepares for Aragorn. “Did that stew taste really that bad?” It’s become such a joke, the whole thing about the stew, and everyone wants to know the contents of the stew, and its preparation method, and do you think her skills improved now, or do you think she really is a bad cook? Fans seem, I think, fascinated by the humour of that situation. And I provide great detail listing the ingredients that constituted the concoction – as I recall the efforts made; such as put bits of red cotton to make it look like bits of veins in the meat. The crew employed extreme measures to render it as unappetizing as they could.

A Cringeworthy Star Meeting

What was your most embarrassing run-in with a famous person?

I was at a pilates class and another participant lying down doing pilates, and the teacher remarked, “Hello Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I made a lighthearted remark inquiring, “oh, are you a journalist?” Since Miranda is an uncommon moniker and most of the time when someone’s a Miranda, they’re a journalist. I wasn’t really seeing who it was. And when she got up, 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 experienced so embarrassed. I wished to explain: “Goodness, I am aware of who you are!” I consider her talent is immense and I was just too starstruck to say anything.

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 you saying otherwise – can you clarify this definitively?

Yes – I was named after the Sydney suburb. Mum heard on the radio that they were opening a shopping centre at Miranda, and the name sounded like a pleasant choice.

Chaos 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 least organized set I’ve ever worked on, and yet the film emerged brilliantly. But the local crew operated in a distinct manner. Their concept of time there is unique. Typically, you receive a schedule and you have to be on set by a certain time. But this was sort of open ended – one would appear at one's convenience. It was a novel way of working for me. All aspects were being assembled at the very last minute, and sometimes the plan was unclear where they were shooting or the methodology. And then I would be in during a scene and be like, “What caused that sound that disturbed the scene? Ah, it was a crew member popping open some champagne during filming, to start a party.” The result was great, but wow, it’s a distinct approach to film-making.

A Hidden Talent

Do you have a secretly good at?

I’ve always been good with numbers. I retain numbers easier than I learn dialogue a lot of the time, I’ve just got a numerically-oriented mind. So I believe if I hadn’t pursued acting, I probably would have entered a field something to do with numbers, like math or finance.

The Finest Guidance Given

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

When I was in secondary school, someone addressed us as we were graduating and stated, “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 you learn from triumph. With success, you never really comprehends exactly how it happened. Failure, the lessons are so much more.