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Through a thoughtful conversation, Miranda Otto opens up on topics ranging from her newest character as a regal sea creature 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; supposing you had the opportunity to be a fish for a day, which one would it be and why?

Without hesitation, that particular fish residing near a specific shoreline – since it is a local landmark, and individuals visit to see it. I just think it’s cool that there’s a local fish that people actually go and see and talk about – it holds a unique status.

A Cinematic Favorite to Return To

Which movie do you always return to, and why?

The 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this picture. During my childhood, it would air on television every now and again, and one time I videotaped it. I found it was so funny. It stars the legendary Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Recently they were playing it at a cinema and I discovered 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 the entire cast in it are fantastic. Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – which was not successful. But the original film is a brilliant comedy, worth viewing often.

The Best Lesson Learned From a Fellow Actor

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

I was doing A Doll’s House with Pete – my husband now, but back then we were not together. We were playing opposite each other and on opening night I stumbled – I jumped ahead a few lines in the script. I was unaware of my error but I abruptly sensed things were off. I remember glancing toward him, and he completely saved me, and then our performance took off again and proceeded splendidly. But I think the insight gained then was, first, consistently rely on the people you’re working with. If you don’t know your place, if you turn around and toward the people sharing the stage with, you can rediscover your correct position in some way. It’s such communal thing, performing live. And next, just to have a sense of fun about it. Sometimes when something goes wrong, things can ignite in a wonderfully positive direction provided you are fully engaged in that moment. It may become a gift when things go completely awry.

Heartening Interactions with Fans

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

There isn't a single particular interaction but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I hear a lot of stories about what Eowyn impacted them when they were younger … things that had happened 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 invariably regarding the stew that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Was the stew really that bad?” It has evolved into such a joke, the entire episode 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 poor chef? Fans seem, I think, obsessed with the humour of that scene. And I provide great detail describing the ingredients that constituted the concoction – as I recall the efforts made; such as adding pieces of red cotton to make it look like bits of veins in the meat. The crew employed extreme measures to make it look as bad as they could.

A Cringeworthy Star Encounter

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

I attended a pilates class and another participant on a mat exercising, and the instructor said to me, “Oh, Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I attempted a lighthearted remark about, “might you be 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 identified her. And when she got up, it was Miranda Richardson. At that point, I was at a loss for words. I still had to complete my class, and I experienced so embarrassed. I wished to explain: “Goodness, I do know who you are!” I consider her talent is immense and I was just too starstruck to utter a syllable.

The Origin of a Moniker

It’s been 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?

Indeed, I was christened for the Sydney suburb. Mum heard on the radio that they were inaugurating a mall at Miranda, and she thought seemed a nice name.

Chaos on Location

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

While working in Brazil on Reaching for the Moon I experienced the least organized set I’ve ever worked on, and yet the film emerged incredibly well. But they just work in such a different way. The sense of time there is unique. Typically, you normally have a call sheet and you have to be on set punctually. But this was sort of flexible – you come on set whenever you happen to be ready. It was a novel approach for me. The elements were all coming together at the final moment, and sometimes the plan was unclear where they were shooting or how we were going to do it. And then I would be in the middle of a scene and be like, “What was that noise that just interrupted the scene? Oh, it’s the producer opening some champagne during filming, to start a party.” It turned out great, but goodness, it’s a distinct style of film-making.

A Secret Skill

What are you secretly good at?

I naturally possess good with numbers. I retain numbers more readily than I memorise words a lot of the time, 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 finance.

The Finest Piece of Advice Ever Received

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” … an idea I consider is the best piece of advice, since one gains so much more from failure than is gained from success. With success, one rarely understand exactly how it happened. Failure, you learn abundant.