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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 learned through theatrical mistakes and fan interactions.

If You Could Be a Fish for a Day

Your latest character portrays Queen 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 residing near Clovelly beach – because it’s like an institution, and people go there specifically to spot it. I just think it’s cool that a resident aquatic creature that people actually seek out and talk about – it’s a special fish.

A Film Staple to Revisit

What film do you repeatedly watch, and why?

The 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I love this film. During my growing up, it used to come on the ABC occasionally, and once I videotaped it. I just thought it was so funny. It’s Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Recently they were playing it at the Ritz and I discovered that it was the preferred movie of a friend of mine, and so we attended and simply chuckled and laughed. It’s such great piece of humor and all the actors in it are fantastic. Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – that wasn’t successful. But the original film is a brilliant comedy, to be watched often.

The Best Lesson Gained Through a Fellow Actor

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

Years ago I performed in A Doll’s House with Pete – my husband now, but back then we were not together. We were playing as scene partners and during the premiere I stumbled – I skipped forward some dialogue in the script. I was unaware what I’d done but I suddenly realised something wasn’t right. I remember looking at him, and he completely saved me, and then our performance regained momentum and went really, really well. But I think what I learned then was, firstly, consistently rely on the people in your scene. When you lose your place, if you turn around and look at the people sharing the stage with, you can rediscover where you’re meant to be in some way. It’s such communal thing, acting on stage. And next, to maintain a sense of fun regarding it. Occasionally when a mistake occurs, things actually spark off in a wonderfully positive direction provided you are really present then. It can be a gift when things go absolutely the wrong way.

Memorable Exchanges with Admirers

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

It’s not just one particular interaction but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I am told numerous accounts about what Eowyn meant to them when they were younger … things that had happened in their lives and how much that character signified for them and was some kind of help to them in those times.

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

The most detailed question is always about that infamous meal that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Was the stew really that bad?” It’s become such a joke, the entire episode about the stew, and everyone wants to know what was in 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, obsessed with the humour of that situation. And I go into lengthy descriptions listing the components that constituted the concoction – because I remember the efforts made; like they even put bits of red cotton to simulate the appearance like bits of veins in the meat. The crew employed extreme measures to make it look as unappetizing as they could.

A Cringeworthy Star Encounter

What’s been your most embarrassing celebrity encounter?

I attended a fitness session and another participant on a mat exercising, and the instructor said to me, “Hello Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I made a lighthearted remark about, “might you be a journalist?” Since Miranda is an unusual name and often when I meet another Miranda, they work in media. I wasn’t really identified her. And when she got up, it was 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 experienced so embarrassed. I wanted to say: “Oh my gosh, I do know who you are!” I think her talent is immense and I was just too starstruck to utter a syllable.

The Origin of a Name

Articles have confidently claimed that you were named after Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet you've mentioned stating otherwise – can you clarify this definitively?

Yes – I was named after the Sydney suburb. My mother learned via broadcast that they were opening a shopping centre at that location, and she thought seemed a nice name.

Pandemonium 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 that was the least organized set of my career, and yet the final product emerged incredibly well. But the local crew operated in such a different way. The sense of time there is unique. Typically, you receive 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. All aspects were being assembled at the final moment, and at times they wouldn’t know where they were shooting the next day the methodology. And then I would be in the middle of a scene and wondering, “What was that noise that just interrupted the scene? Oh, it’s a crew member popping open some champagne on set, because he’s making a party.” It turned out great, but goodness, it’s a really different approach to film-making.

A Secret Talent

What are you secretly good at?

I’ve always been good with numbers. I retain numbers easier than I learn dialogue a lot of the time, I simply have a numerically-oriented mind. So I think if I hadn’t ended up in acting, I likely might have worked in something to do with numbers, like math or finance.

The Finest Piece of Advice Ever Received

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

When I was in secondary school, a speaker came to speak as we were graduating and they said, “have no fear to fail” … an idea I consider is supremely valuable counsel, since one gains so much more from failure than is gained from success. With success, you never really understand exactly how it happened. With failure, the lessons are so much more.