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Through a thoughtful interview, Miranda Otto delves on subjects as varied as her latest role as a regal sea creature to the invaluable wisdom gleaned from onstage mishaps and meeting admirers.

If You Could Be a Fish for a Day

The most recent character portrays 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?

Without hesitation, the blue groper residing near a specific shoreline – since it is like an institution, and individuals visit to see it. I just think it’s cool that a resident aquatic creature that folks genuinely go and see and discuss – it’s a special fish.

A Film Staple to Revisit

What film do you repeatedly watch, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I love this film. During my growing up, it used to come on television every now and again, and one time I videotaped it. I found it was hilarious. It’s Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Not long ago they were showing it at the Ritz and I discovered that it was also the favourite film of an acquaintance, and so we attended and just laughed repeatedly. It is a masterful work of humor and the entire cast in it are superb. Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – that wasn’t as effective. But Lubitsch's version is an exceptional farce, worth viewing often.

A Priceless Insight Learned From a Co-Star

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

I was doing A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – my husband now, but at the time we were not a couple. We portrayed characters as scene partners and on opening night I stumbled – I skipped forward a few lines in the script. I was unaware of my error but I suddenly realised things were off. I remember looking at him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then the scene regained momentum and proceeded splendidly. But I think what I learned in that moment was, firstly, consistently rely on the people you’re working with. When you lose where you are, if you turn around and look at the people sharing the stage with, you will find your correct position somehow. It’s such collaborative endeavor, performing live. And secondly, to maintain a sense of fun about it. Occasionally when a mistake occurs, things actually spark off in a really great direction if you’re fully engaged in that moment. It can be a gift when things go completely the wrong way.

Heartening Exchanges with Admirers

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

It’s not 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 impacted them when they were younger … things that had happened in their lives and how much that character signified for them and was some kind of help to them during those periods.

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

The most specific inquiry concerns invariably regarding the stew her character prepares for Aragorn. “Did that stew taste really that bad?” It’s become such a joke, the entire episode involving that dish, and everyone wants to know what was in the pot, and how was it made, and in your opinion her skills improved now, or do you think she really is a bad cook? People are, I think, obsessed with the comedy of that situation. And I go into lengthy descriptions listing the ingredients that constituted the concoction – because I remember the efforts made; like they even adding pieces of red cotton to make it look like blood vessels in the meat. They went to extreme measures to render it as unappetizing as possible.

A Cringeworthy Star Meeting

What was your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I attended a fitness session and another participant on a mat doing pilates, and the teacher said to me, “Oh, Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I made a lighthearted remark about, “might you be a journalist?” Because it’s an uncommon moniker and often when someone’s a Miranda, they’re a journalist. I wasn’t really 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 was obliged to stay and do my class, and I felt intense awkwardness. I wished to explain: “Oh my gosh, I am aware of your work!” I think her talent is immense and I was simply too awestruck to utter a syllable.

The Origin of a Name

It’s been repeatedly stated that you were named after Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet you've mentioned stating otherwise – can you clarify this definitively?

Indeed, I was named after the Sydney suburb. Mum learned via broadcast that they were opening a mall at that location, and she thought sounded like a nice name.

Chaos 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 of my career, and yet the final product turned out incredibly well. But they just work in a distinct manner. Their concept of time there is really different. In Australia, you normally have a call sheet and must arrive on set by a certain time. But this was sort of flexible – you come on set 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 they wouldn’t know where they were shooting or how we were going to do it. And then I would be in during a scene and wondering, “What was that noise that disturbed the scene? Ah, it was a crew member popping open some champagne during filming, because he’s making a party.” The result was excellent, but goodness, it’s a distinct approach to film-making.

A Hidden Talent

What are you secretly good at?

I naturally possess an aptitude for numbers. I memorise numbers more readily than I learn dialogue a lot of the time, I’ve just got 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 mathematics or accounting.

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 stated, “have no fear to fail” … which I think is supremely valuable counsel, because you learn far more from failure than you learn from triumph. Success, one rarely understand precisely why it happened. Failure, the lessons are so much more.