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During a revealing interview, Miranda Otto reflects on subjects as varied as her latest role as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the profound lessons learned through onstage mishaps and meeting admirers.

If You Could Be a Sea Creature for a Day

Your latest role is Queen of the Cuttlefish in The Pout-Pout Fish; supposing you had the opportunity to be a fish for a day, which one would you choose and why?

Without hesitation, the blue groper found at Clovelly beach – since it is a local landmark, and individuals visit specifically to spot it. I just think it’s cool that there’s a local fish that people actually go and see and talk about – it’s a special fish.

A Cinematic Favorite 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 film. When I was childhood, it would air on television every now and again, and one time I recorded it. I just thought it was so funny. It’s the legendary Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Recently they were playing it at a cinema and I discovered that it was also the favourite film of an acquaintance, and so we attended and just laughed repeatedly. It’s such great piece of comedy and all the actors in it are superb. The director Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – which was not as effective. But the original film is a brilliant comedy, to be watched regularly.

The Best Lesson Gained Through a Co-Star

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

Years ago I performed in A Doll’s House with Pete – now my spouse, but back then we were not a couple. We portrayed characters opposite each other and during the premiere I stumbled – I skipped forward a few lines in the script. I didn’t know what I’d done but I abruptly sensed something wasn’t right. I recall glancing toward him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then our performance regained momentum and went really, really well. But I think the insight gained then was, first, consistently rely on the people you’re working with. When you lose where you are, by looking and toward the actors sharing the stage with, you will find where you’re meant to be somehow. It’s such communal thing, acting on stage. And next, to maintain a sense of fun about it. Sometimes when a mistake occurs, things actually spark off in a really great direction provided you are fully engaged in that moment. It can be an unexpected boon when things go absolutely the wrong way.

Memorable Exchanges with Admirers

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

It’s not just one specific meeting but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I hear a lot of accounts about what Eowyn impacted them when they were growing up … things that had happened in their lives and how much Eowyn signified for them and was some kind of help to them during those periods.

Which questions 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 has evolved into such a joke, the whole thing about the stew, and everyone wants to know what was in the pot, and how was it made, and do you think her skills improved now, or do you believe she really is a poor chef? People are, in my view, obsessed with the comedy of that situation. And I provide lengthy descriptions listing the ingredients that made up the stew – as I recall the efforts made; like they even put bits of colored thread to simulate the appearance like blood vessels in the meat. They went to great detail to render it as unappetizing as possible.

A Cringeworthy Star Encounter

What’s been your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I attended a pilates class and there was a woman on a mat doing pilates, and the teacher said to me, “Hello Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I made a lighthearted remark inquiring, “might you be a journalist?” Because it’s an unusual name and often when someone’s a Miranda, they work in media. I wasn’t really seeing who it was. And when she got up, it was Miranda Richardson. Then I was at a loss for words. I was obliged to complete my class, and I felt so embarrassed. I wished to explain: “Goodness, I am aware of your work!” I think her talent is immense and I was just too starstruck to say anything.

The Origin 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 you saying otherwise – can you settle the matter once and for all?

Indeed, I was named after a district in Sydney. My mother heard on the radio that they were inaugurating a mall at Miranda, and she thought seemed a nice name.

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 that was the most chaotic set of my career, and yet the film turned out brilliantly. But they just work in a distinct manner. The sense 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 sort of flexible – you come on set at one's convenience. It was a novel way of working for me. The elements were being assembled at the very last minute, and at times they wouldn’t know where they were shooting or the methodology. And then you’d be in the middle of a scene and wondering, “What was that noise that disturbed the scene? Ah, it was the producer popping open some champagne on set, because he’s making a party.” The result was excellent, but goodness, it’s a distinct style of film-making.

A Hidden Skill

What are you secretly good at?

I’ve always been good with numbers. I memorise numbers easier than I memorise words a lot of the time, I simply have that kind of a brain. So I believe if I hadn’t pursued acting, I likely might have entered a field something to do with numbers, like mathematics or finance.

The Finest Guidance Given

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” … which I think is supremely valuable counsel, because you learn far more from failure than you learn from success. Success, one rarely comprehends precisely why it happened. With failure, the lessons are abundant.