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During a revealing conversation, Miranda Otto reflects on subjects as varied as her latest role as a regal sea creature to the invaluable wisdom learned through onstage mishaps and fan interactions.

Given the Chance to Become a Fish for a Day

The most recent role is 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?

Without hesitation, the blue groper residing near a specific shoreline – since it is like an institution, and people go there to see it. It strikes me it’s cool that there’s a local fish that folks genuinely seek out and discuss – it’s a special fish.

A Film Staple to Revisit

Which movie do you repeatedly watch, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I love this film. When I was childhood, it used to come on television every now and again, and once I videotaped it. I just thought it was so funny. It’s the legendary Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Not long ago they were showing it at a cinema and I discovered that it was also the favourite film of an acquaintance, and so we went and simply chuckled and laughed. It is a masterful work of comedy and the entire cast in it are fantastic. Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – that wasn’t successful. But the original film is an exceptional farce, worth viewing often.

A Priceless Lesson Learned From a Fellow Actor

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

I was doing A Doll’s House with Pete – my husband now, but back then we were not a couple. We were playing opposite each other and during the premiere I tripped up – I jumped ahead a few lines in the script. I didn’t know what I’d done but I suddenly realised something wasn’t right. I recall looking at him, and he completely saved me, and then our performance took off again and went really, really well. However, I believe what I learned in that moment was, firstly, always trust the people in your scene. If you don’t know where you are, by looking and toward the actors sharing the stage with, you can rediscover your correct position in some way. It’s such collaborative endeavor, performing live. And secondly, just to have a lighthearted attitude regarding it. Sometimes when a mistake occurs, things actually spark off in a wonderfully positive way if you’re really present in that moment. It may become a gift when things go absolutely the wrong way.

Heartening Interactions with Fans

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

It’s not just one particular interaction but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I hear a lot of stories about how that character meant to them when they were growing up … things that had happened in their lives and the extent to which that character signified for them and was a form of support to them in those times.

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

The most specific inquiry concerns invariably regarding that infamous meal that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Was the stew as terrible as it looked?” It’s become such a joke, the entire episode about the stew, and all fans wish to know the contents of the stew, and its preparation method, and do you think she’s a better cook now, or do you think she really is a poor chef? People are, in my view, fascinated by the humour of that situation. And I provide lengthy descriptions describing the components that made up the concoction – as I recall what they did; like they even put bits of colored thread to simulate the appearance like bits of veins in the meat. The crew employed great detail to render it as unappetizing as they could.

An Awkward Star Encounter

What’s been your most embarrassing run-in with a famous person?

I attended a pilates class and another participant on a mat exercising, and the teacher said to me, “Hello Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I attempted some joke inquiring, “might you be a journalist?” Since Miranda is an uncommon moniker and often when someone’s a Miranda, they work in media. I hadn't properly seeing who it was. And as she rose, it was the actress Miranda Richardson. At that point, I didn’t know what to say. I still had to complete my class, and I felt so embarrassed. I wanted to say: “Oh my gosh, I do know who you are!” I consider her talent is immense and I was simply too awestruck to utter a syllable.

The Origin of a Moniker

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 settle the matter definitively?

Indeed, I was christened for a district in Sydney. Mum heard on the radio that they were opening a shopping centre at Miranda, and she thought sounded like a pleasant choice.

Chaos on Location

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 I’ve ever worked on, and yet the final product emerged incredibly well. But the local crew operated in such a different way. The sense of time there is really different. Typically, you normally have a schedule and must arrive on set punctually. But this was sort of open ended – one would appear whenever you happen to be ready. It was a really different way of working for me. The elements were being assembled at the very last minute, and sometimes they wouldn’t know the next location or the methodology. And then you’d be in during a scene and wondering, “What was that noise that just interrupted the scene? Oh, it’s the producer opening some champagne on set, to start a party.” It turned out excellent, but wow, it’s a really different approach to film-making.

A Secret Skill

What are you secretly good at?

I’ve always been an aptitude for numbers. I memorise numbers more readily than I learn dialogue a lot of the time, I simply have a numerically-oriented mind. So I think if I hadn’t pursued acting, I probably would have worked in something to do with numbers, like math or accounting.

The Best Piece of Advice Ever Received

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

During my time in high school, someone came to speak as we were graduating and stated, “have no fear to fail” … an idea I consider is the best piece of advice, because you learn far more from failure than is gained from triumph. Success, you never really comprehends exactly how it happened. With failure, you learn abundant.