The actress Reveals Perspectives on Acting, Fandom, and Unexpected Gifts.

During a revealing conversation, Miranda Otto delves on topics ranging from her latest role as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the invaluable wisdom gleaned from theatrical mistakes and fan interactions.

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, that particular fish found at a specific shoreline – 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 seek out and talk about – it holds a unique status.

A Cinematic Favorite to Return To

Which movie do you always return to, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this picture. When I was growing up, it would air on television every now and again, and one time I recorded it. I just thought it was hilarious. It stars the legendary Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Not long ago they were showing 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 masterful work of humor and all the actors in it are superb. The director Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – that wasn’t successful. But Lubitsch's version is an exceptional farce, worth viewing regularly.

The Best Lesson Learned From a Fellow Actor

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

Years ago I performed in A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – now my spouse, but at the time we were not a couple. We portrayed characters opposite each other and during the premiere I stumbled – I jumped ahead a few lines 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 regained momentum and proceeded splendidly. But I think the insight gained in that moment was, first, always trust the individuals you’re working with. When you lose your place, by looking and look at the people you’re with, you will find your correct position somehow. It’s such collaborative endeavor, acting on stage. And secondly, just to have a lighthearted attitude about it. Sometimes when a mistake occurs, things can ignite in a wonderfully positive direction provided you are really present in that moment. It may become a gift when things go absolutely awry.

Memorable Exchanges with Admirers

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

There isn't a single particular interaction but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I hear a lot of stories about what Eowyn meant to them when they were growing up … events that occurred in their lives and the extent to which Eowyn signified for them and was some kind of help to them in those times.

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

The most specific question is always about the stew that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Did that stew taste really that bad?” It has evolved into a running gag, the whole thing about the stew, and everyone wants to know what was in the pot, and its preparation method, and do you think she’s a better cook now, or do you believe she really is a poor chef? Fans seem, I think, obsessed with the comedy of that scene. And I go into lengthy descriptions listing the components that made up the concoction – because I remember what they did; like they even put bits of red cotton 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 Encounter

What’s been your most embarrassing celebrity encounter?

I attended a pilates class and another participant on a mat exercising, and the teacher said to me, “Hello Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I made a lighthearted remark inquiring, “might you be a journalist?” Because it’s an uncommon moniker and most of the time when someone’s a Miranda, they’re a journalist. I hadn't properly seeing who it was. And as she rose, it was Miranda Richardson. At that point, I didn’t know words. I still had to complete my class, and I experienced intense awkwardness. I wanted to say: “Goodness, I am aware of your work!” I think she’s so fabulous and I was just too starstruck to say anything.

The Source of a Moniker

Articles have repeatedly stated that you were named after Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet you've mentioned stating otherwise – can you clarify this once and for all?

Indeed, I was named after the Sydney suburb. Mum heard on the radio that they were opening a mall at Miranda, and she thought sounded like a nice name.

Chaos on Set

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

When I was working in Brazil for the film Reaching for the Moon I experienced the least organized set of my career, and yet the final product emerged brilliantly. But the local crew operated in a distinct manner. Their concept of time there is unique. Typically, you normally have a call sheet and you have to be 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 novel way of working for me. All aspects were being assembled at the final moment, and sometimes they wouldn’t know the next location or the methodology. And then you’d be in the middle of a scene and be like, “What caused that sound that disturbed the scene? Ah, it was a crew member opening a bottle on set, to start a party.” The result was excellent, but goodness, it’s a really different approach to film-making.

A Secret Talent

What are you secretly good at?

I naturally possess an aptitude for numbers. I retain numbers easier than I memorise words a lot of the time, I simply have a numerically-oriented mind. So I think had I not ended up in acting, I likely might have worked in involving numbers, like math or accounting.

The Best Guidance Given

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

When I was in secondary school, someone addressed us when we were graduating and they said, “have no fear to fail” … an idea I consider 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. Failure, the lessons are so much more.