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In a candid discussion, Miranda Otto reflects on topics ranging from her newest character 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

Your latest role is 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, that particular fish residing near Clovelly beach – because it’s like an institution, and individuals visit to see it. I just think as remarkable that a resident aquatic creature that folks genuinely go and see and talk about – it holds a unique status.

A Film Staple to Return To

What film do you repeatedly watch, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this picture. During my growing up, it would air on the ABC occasionally, and once I videotaped it. I found it was hilarious. It stars Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Recently they were showing it at the Ritz and it turned out that it was also the favourite film of an acquaintance, and so we attended and simply chuckled and laughed. It’s such great piece of comedy and all the actors in it are fantastic. The director Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – that wasn’t successful. But Lubitsch's version is a brilliant comedy, to be watched often.

A Priceless Insight Learned From a Co-Star

What’s the best lesson you took away from someone you’ve worked with?

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 as scene partners and during the premiere I stumbled – I skipped forward some dialogue in the script. I was unaware of my error but I abruptly sensed things were off. I recall looking at him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then our performance took off again and proceeded splendidly. However, I believe what I learned in that moment was, first, consistently rely on the people in your scene. When you lose where you are, if you turn around and look at the actors 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, just to have a lighthearted attitude regarding it. Occasionally when a mistake occurs, things actually spark off in a really great way if you’re fully engaged then. It may become a gift when things go absolutely awry.

Heartening Exchanges with Admirers

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

There isn't a single particular interaction but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I hear a lot of accounts about what Eowyn meant to them when they were younger … 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 detailed inquiry concerns always about the stew that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Was the stew really that bad?” It has evolved into such a joke, the whole thing about the stew, and all fans wish to know what was in the stew, and how was it made, and in your opinion her skills improved now, or do you think she really is a poor chef? People are, I think, obsessed with the humour of that scene. And I go into 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 simulate the appearance like bits of veins in the meat. They went to extreme measures to render it as unappetizing as possible.

A Cringeworthy Star Meeting

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

I attended a fitness session and another participant lying down doing pilates, and the instructor said to me, “Oh, Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I made some joke about, “might you be a journalist?” Because it’s an unusual name and most of the time when I meet another Miranda, they’re a journalist. I wasn’t really seeing who it was. And as she rose, it was Miranda Richardson. At that point, I didn’t know what to say. I was obliged to complete my class, and I experienced so embarrassed. I wished to explain: “Oh my gosh, I am aware of your work!” I consider her talent is immense and I was simply too awestruck to say anything.

The Source of a Name

It’s been 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 once and for all?

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

Chaos on Set

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

While working in Brazil on Reaching for the Moon I experienced the most chaotic set of my career, and yet the final product emerged brilliantly. But they just work in a distinct manner. Their concept of time there is really different. Typically, you receive a call sheet and you have to be on set by a certain time. But this was rather flexible – you come on set at one's convenience. It was a novel approach for me. All aspects were being assembled 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 I would be in the middle of a scene and be like, “What was that noise that just interrupted the scene? Ah, it was the producer opening some champagne on set, because he’s making a party.” The result was excellent, but goodness, it’s a really different style of film-making.

A Hidden Skill

Do you have a secretly good at?

I’ve always been an aptitude for numbers. I memorise numbers more readily than I memorise words a lot of the time, I simply have that kind of a brain. So I believe had I not ended up in acting, I probably would have entered a field something to do with numbers, like math or finance.

The Best Guidance Given

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

When I was in high school, someone came to speak when we were graduating and they said, “don’t be afraid 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 comprehends precisely why it happened. With failure, you learn so much more.