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During a revealing discussion, Miranda Otto delves on topics ranging from her latest role as a regal sea creature to the invaluable wisdom gleaned from theatrical mistakes and meeting admirers.

Given the Chance to Become 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 you choose and why?

Without hesitation, the blue groper found at a specific shoreline – because it’s like an institution, and people go there specifically to spot it. I just think as remarkable that there’s a local fish that folks genuinely go and see and discuss – it holds a unique status.

A Film Favorite to Return To

Which movie do you always return to, and why?

The 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this picture. When I was growing up, it would air on the ABC occasionally, and one time I recorded it. I just thought it was so funny. It’s Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Not long ago they were showing it at the Ritz and it turned out that it was also the favourite film of a friend of mine, and so we went and just laughed and laughed. It’s such great piece of comedy and all the actors in it are superb. The director Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – that wasn’t as effective. But Lubitsch's version is an exceptional farce, worth viewing regularly.

The Best Insight Gained Through 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 alongside Peter O’Brien – my husband now, but at the time we were not together. We portrayed characters as scene partners and on opening night I tripped up – I skipped forward some dialogue in the script. I was unaware of my error but I abruptly sensed things were off. I recall glancing toward him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then our performance regained momentum and went really, really well. However, I believe what I learned in that moment was, first, always trust the people in your scene. If you don’t know where you are, by looking and toward the actors sharing the stage with, you can rediscover where you’re meant to be somehow. It’s such collaborative endeavor, acting on stage. And secondly, just to have a lighthearted attitude about 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 a gift when things go completely awry.

Heartening Interactions with Fans

Can you describe your most touching encounter with a fan?

There isn't a single specific meeting but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I am told numerous stories about what Eowyn impacted them when they were growing up … events that occurred in their lives and the extent to which Eowyn meant to them and was some kind of help to them during those periods.

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

The most specific inquiry concerns always about the stew her character prepares for Aragorn. “Was the stew really that bad?” It’s become a running gag, the whole thing involving that dish, and everyone wants to know the contents of 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? Fans seem, I think, obsessed with the comedy of that situation. And I provide lengthy descriptions describing the ingredients that made up the stew – because I remember the efforts made; such as put bits of red cotton to make it look like bits of veins in the meat. They went to extreme measures to render it as unappetizing as they could.

A Cringeworthy Celebrity Meeting

What’s been your most cringeworthy run-in with a famous person?

I attended a fitness session and another participant on a mat exercising, and the instructor said to me, “Oh, Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I made a lighthearted remark about, “oh, are you a journalist?” Since Miranda is an uncommon moniker and most of the time when I meet another Miranda, they work in media. I wasn’t really seeing who it was. And as she rose, it was the actress Miranda Richardson. Then I was at a loss for what to say. I still had to complete my class, and I experienced intense awkwardness. I wished to explain: “Oh my gosh, I am aware of who you are!” I think she’s so fabulous and I was simply too awestruck to utter a syllable.

The Origin 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 settle the matter definitively?

Indeed, I was named after a district in Sydney. Mum learned via broadcast that they were opening a shopping centre at that location, and the name seemed a pleasant choice.

Pandemonium on Set

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 of my career, and yet the film turned out incredibly well. But they just work in such a different way. Their concept of time there is unique. Typically, you receive a call sheet and must arrive on set by a certain time. But this was sort of open ended – you come on set whenever you happen to be ready. It was a really different approach for me. All aspects were all coming together at the very last minute, and at times they wouldn’t know the next location the next day how we were going to do it. And then you’d be in during a scene and wondering, “What caused that sound that just interrupted the scene? Ah, it was the producer popping open a bottle during filming, because he’s making a party.” It turned out great, but goodness, it’s a distinct style of film-making.

A Secret Talent

What are you secretly good at?

I’ve always been good with numbers. I retain numbers easier than I memorise words often, I’ve just got that kind of a brain. So I believe had I not pursued acting, I probably would have entered a field something to do with numbers, like mathematics or accounting.

The Finest Piece of Advice Given

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

When I was 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 failure than you learn from triumph. With success, you never really comprehends precisely why it happened. With failure, you learn abundant.