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During a revealing interview, Miranda Otto reflects on topics ranging from her newest character as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the invaluable wisdom gleaned from theatrical mistakes and meeting admirers.

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 it be and why?

Straight away, that particular fish found at a specific shoreline – since it is like an institution, 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 discuss – it’s a special fish.

A Film Staple to Revisit

Which movie do you repeatedly watch, and why?

The 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this film. When I was growing up, it would air on the ABC occasionally, and one time I recorded it. I found it was hilarious. It stars Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Not long ago they were playing it at the Ritz and I discovered that it was also the favourite film of an acquaintance, and so we went and just laughed repeatedly. It’s such great piece of humor and the entire cast in it are superb. The director Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – that wasn’t as effective. But Lubitsch's version is a brilliant comedy, to be watched often.

The Best Lesson Gained Through a Fellow Actor

What is the most valuable lesson you learned from someone you’ve worked with?

I was doing A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – my husband now, but back then we were not together. We portrayed characters as scene partners and during the premiere I tripped up – I jumped ahead some dialogue in the script. I didn’t know of my error but I abruptly sensed something wasn’t right. I recall looking at him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then our performance took off again and went really, really well. But I think what I learned then was, firstly, always trust the individuals you’re working with. If you don’t know your place, if you turn around and toward the actors you’re with, you can rediscover where you’re meant to be in some way. It’s such collaborative endeavor, performing live. And secondly, just to have a sense of fun about it. Occasionally when something goes wrong, things can ignite in a really great way provided you are fully engaged then. It can be an unexpected boon when things go absolutely the wrong way.

Heartening Exchanges with Admirers

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

It’s not just one particular interaction but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I hear a lot of accounts about how that character impacted them when they were younger … events that occurred in their lives and how much Eowyn meant to them and was some kind of help to them during those periods.

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

The most specific question is invariably regarding that infamous meal that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Was the stew as terrible as it looked?” It has evolved into a running gag, the entire episode about the stew, and all fans wish to know what was in the pot, and its preparation method, and in your opinion she’s a better cook now, or do you think she really is a bad cook? People are, in my view, fascinated by the humour of that situation. And I provide lengthy descriptions listing the ingredients that made up the stew – because I remember what they did; like they even adding pieces of red cotton to make it look like bits of veins in the meat. They went to extreme measures to render it as bad as possible.

An Awkward Star Encounter

What’s been 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, meet Miranda.” And I attempted some joke inquiring, “oh, are you a journalist?” Since Miranda is an unusual name and most of the time when I meet another Miranda, they’re a journalist. I hadn't properly seeing who it was. And when she got up, it was Miranda Richardson. Then I was at a loss for words. I still had to stay and do my class, and I felt intense awkwardness. I wished to explain: “Goodness, I am aware of your work!” I consider she’s so fabulous and I was simply too awestruck to utter a syllable.

The Source of a Name

It’s been repeatedly stated that you were given your name from Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet you've mentioned stating otherwise – can you settle the matter once and for all?

Indeed, I was christened for a district in Sydney. My mother learned via broadcast that they were inaugurating a mall at Miranda, and the name seemed a nice name.

Chaos on Location

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

When I was working in Brazil on Reaching for the Moon that was the least organized set of my career, and yet the film turned out brilliantly. But the local crew operated in a distinct manner. Their concept of time there is unique. In Australia, you normally have a call sheet and must arrive on set by a certain time. But this was sort of flexible – one would appear whenever you happen to be ready. It was a really different approach for me. The elements were being assembled at the final moment, and at times the plan was unclear the next location the next day the methodology. And then you’d be in the middle of a scene and be like, “What was that noise that disturbed the scene? Ah, it was the producer popping open a bottle on set, because he’s making a party.” It turned out excellent, but goodness, it’s a distinct style of film-making.

A Secret Talent

Do you have a secretly good at?

I naturally possess good with numbers. I memorise numbers more readily than I memorise words often, I’ve just got a numerically-oriented mind. So I believe had I not ended up in acting, I likely might have entered a field involving numbers, like math or accounting.

The Finest Guidance Given

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

When I was in secondary school, a speaker addressed us as we were graduating and stated, “have no fear to fail” … which I think is supremely valuable counsel, because you learn far more from setbacks than you learn from triumph. Success, you never really understand exactly how it happened. Failure, the lessons are so much more.