The actress Reveals Perspectives on Her Career, Devoted Fans, and Life's Lessons.

During a revealing discussion, Miranda Otto opens up on subjects as varied as her newest character as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the invaluable wisdom learned through onstage mishaps and meeting admirers.

If You Could Be a Fish for a Day

The most recent 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 it be and why?

Straight away, that particular fish residing near Clovelly beach – since it is a local landmark, and individuals visit to see it. I just think as remarkable that there’s a local fish that folks genuinely go and see and discuss – it holds a unique status.

A Film Staple to Revisit

What film do you always return to, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this picture. During my childhood, it used to come on the ABC occasionally, and one time I recorded it. I just thought it was so funny. It stars the legendary Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Recently they were playing it at a cinema and it turned out that it was the preferred movie of a friend of mine, and so we attended and just laughed and laughed. It is a masterful work of humor and the entire cast in it are fantastic. Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – that wasn’t as effective. But the original film is a brilliant comedy, to be watched regularly.

A Priceless Lesson Learned From a Fellow Actor

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

Years ago I performed in A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – my husband now, but back then we were not together. We portrayed characters opposite each other and on opening night I tripped up – I jumped ahead some dialogue in the script. I didn’t know 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 the insight gained then was, firstly, always trust the individuals you’re working with. If you don’t know your place, if you turn around and look at the actors you’re with, you will find where you’re meant to be somehow. It is a profoundly communal thing, performing live. And next, just to have a lighthearted attitude about it. Occasionally when something goes wrong, things actually spark off in a wonderfully positive way provided you are really present in that moment. It may become a gift when things go absolutely awry.

Memorable Exchanges with Fans

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

There isn't a single specific meeting but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I hear a lot of accounts about what Eowyn meant to them when they were younger … events that occurred in their lives and how much Eowyn meant to them and was a form of support to them in those times.

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

The most detailed inquiry concerns always about the stew her character prepares for Aragorn. “Did that stew taste as terrible as it looked?” It has evolved into a running gag, the entire episode involving that dish, and everyone wants to know the contents of the stew, and how was it made, and do you think she’s a better cook now, or do you believe she really is a poor chef? Fans seem, in my view, fascinated by the humour of that situation. And I provide lengthy descriptions describing the components that made up the concoction – 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 great detail to render it as bad as possible.

A Cringeworthy Star Meeting

What was your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I attended a pilates class and there was a woman lying down exercising, and the teacher said to me, “Hello Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I attempted a lighthearted remark inquiring, “oh, are you a journalist?” Since Miranda is an uncommon moniker and most of the time when someone’s a Miranda, they’re a journalist. I hadn't properly seeing who it was. And when she got up, it was Miranda Richardson. At that point, I didn’t know words. 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 consider her talent is immense and I was just too starstruck to utter a syllable.

The Origin of a Moniker

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

Yes – I was christened for the Sydney suburb. Mum heard on the radio that they were opening a shopping centre at Miranda, and the name sounded like a pleasant choice.

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 I experienced the least organized set I’ve ever worked on, and yet the final product emerged brilliantly. But the local crew operated in a distinct manner. Their concept of time there is really different. Typically, you receive a call sheet and must arrive on set punctually. But this was rather open ended – one would appear at one's convenience. It was a novel approach for me. All aspects were being assembled at the final moment, and sometimes the plan was unclear the next location the next day the methodology. And then you’d be in during a scene and wondering, “What was that noise that disturbed the scene? Ah, it was the producer opening a bottle during filming, to start a party.” The result was excellent, but goodness, it’s a really different style of film-making.

A Hidden Talent

Do you have a secretly good at?

I naturally possess good with numbers. I retain numbers easier than I learn dialogue a lot of the time, I’ve just got a numerically-oriented mind. So I think had I not ended up in acting, I probably would have entered a field involving numbers, like mathematics or accounting.

The Best Piece of Advice Given

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

When I was in secondary school, a speaker came to speak when we were graduating and they said, “don’t be afraid to fail” … an idea I consider is the best piece of advice, because you learn so much more from setbacks than is gained from success. With success, one rarely comprehends precisely why it happened. With failure, the lessons are abundant.