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Through a thoughtful interview, Miranda Otto opens up on topics ranging from her newest character as a regal sea creature to the invaluable wisdom learned through onstage mishaps and meeting admirers.

If You Could Be a Sea Creature for a Day

Your latest character portrays 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?

Straight away, the blue groper found at Clovelly beach – because it’s a local landmark, and people go there specifically to spot it. It strikes me it’s cool that a resident aquatic creature that folks genuinely go and see and talk about – it’s a special fish.

A Film Staple to Return To

What film do you repeatedly watch, and why?

The 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I love this film. When I was childhood, it would air on television occasionally, and once I recorded it. I just thought it was hilarious. It stars the legendary Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Recently they were showing it at the Ritz and it turned out that it was the preferred movie of an acquaintance, and so we attended and just laughed and laughed. It is a great piece of comedy and the entire cast in it are superb. The director Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – that wasn’t successful. But the original film is an exceptional farce, worth viewing often.

The Best Insight Gained Through a Co-Star

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 together. We portrayed characters opposite each other and during the premiere I tripped up – I skipped forward some dialogue in the script. I didn’t know of my error but I suddenly realised things were off. I remember glancing toward him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then the scene regained momentum and proceeded splendidly. But I think what I learned then was, firstly, always trust the individuals in your scene. When you lose where you are, if you turn around and toward the people you’re with, you can rediscover your correct position somehow. It’s such collaborative endeavor, performing live. And secondly, just to have a lighthearted attitude regarding it. Sometimes when something goes wrong, things can ignite in a wonderfully positive direction if you’re really present in that moment. It may become an unexpected boon when things go completely the wrong way.

Memorable Interactions with Fans

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

There isn't just one particular interaction but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I hear a lot of stories about how that character meant to them when they were younger … things that had happened in their lives and how much Eowyn meant to them and was a form of support to them during those periods.

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’s become a running gag, the whole thing about the stew, and all fans wish to know the contents of the pot, and how was it made, and do you think her skills improved now, or do you believe she really is a bad cook? Fans seem, I think, obsessed with the humour of that scene. And I provide lengthy descriptions listing the ingredients that constituted the stew – because I remember what they did; such as put bits of colored thread to make it look like bits of veins in the meat. They went to great detail to render it as bad as possible.

An Awkward Celebrity Encounter

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 instructor said to me, “Hello Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I made some joke about, “oh, are you a journalist?” Since Miranda is an unusual name and often when someone’s a Miranda, they work in media. I hadn't properly 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 stay and do my class, and I felt so embarrassed. I wanted to say: “Oh my gosh, I am aware of who you are!” I consider she’s so fabulous and I was simply too awestruck to utter a syllable.

The Source of a Moniker

Articles have confidently claimed that you were given your name from 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 christened for the Sydney suburb. Mum heard on the radio that they were inaugurating a shopping centre at Miranda, and she thought seemed a nice name.

Chaos 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 final product turned out brilliantly. But they just work in such a different way. The sense of time there is unique. In Australia, you normally have a call sheet and must arrive on set punctually. But this was rather open ended – you come on set whenever you happen to be ready. It was a novel approach for me. All aspects were all coming together at the final moment, and sometimes 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 be like, “What was that noise that disturbed the scene? Oh, it’s the producer popping open a bottle on set, because he’s making a party.” The result was excellent, but wow, it’s a distinct approach to film-making.

A Secret Skill

Do you have a secretly good at?

I’ve always been good with numbers. I retain numbers easier than I memorise words often, I simply have a numerically-oriented mind. So I think had I not pursued acting, I likely might have worked in something to do with numbers, like mathematics or accounting.

The Finest Guidance Given

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

When I was in high school, a speaker addressed us when we were graduating and they said, “don’t be afraid to fail” … an idea I consider is supremely valuable counsel, since one gains so much more from failure than is gained from success. Success, you never really understand precisely why it happened. Failure, you learn abundant.