Miranda Otto Reveals Perspectives on Her Career, Devoted Fans, and Life's Gifts.

In a candid conversation, Miranda Otto delves on topics ranging from her newest character as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the profound lessons learned through onstage mishaps and meeting admirers.

Given the Chance to Become a Fish for a Day

Your latest role is the monarch 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?

Without hesitation, that particular fish residing near a specific shoreline – since it is a local landmark, and individuals visit to see it. I just think as remarkable that a resident aquatic creature that people actually go and see and talk about – it holds a unique status.

A Cinematic Staple to Return To

What film do you repeatedly watch, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I love this film. When I was growing up, it would air on television occasionally, and once I recorded it. I found it was hilarious. It stars Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Recently they were showing it at a cinema 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 masterful work of comedy and the entire cast in it are fantastic. The director Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – which was not successful. But Lubitsch's version is a brilliant comedy, worth viewing often.

The Best Insight Gained Through a Co-Star

What is the most valuable lesson you took away from someone you’ve worked with?

Years ago I performed in A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – my husband now, but at the time we were not together. We portrayed characters as scene partners 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 remember glancing toward him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then our performance took off again and went really, really well. However, I believe the insight gained then was, firstly, always trust the individuals you’re working with. When you lose your place, by looking and toward the actors you’re with, you will find where you’re meant to be in some way. It is a profoundly communal thing, performing live. And next, just to have a lighthearted attitude about it. Sometimes when something goes wrong, things actually spark off in a really great way provided you are fully engaged then. It can be an unexpected boon when things go completely awry.

Heartening Interactions 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 stories 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 some kind of help to them during those periods.

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

The most detailed question is invariably regarding the stew that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Was the stew really that bad?” It’s become a running gag, the entire episode about the stew, and everyone wants to know the contents of the pot, and its preparation method, and do you think she’s a better cook now, or do you think she really is a bad cook? Fans seem, I think, obsessed with the comedy of that scene. And I go into great detail describing the components that constituted the concoction – as I recall what they did; like they even put bits of red cotton to make it look like blood vessels in the meat. They went to extreme measures to make it look as bad as possible.

A Cringeworthy Celebrity Encounter

What was your most embarrassing celebrity encounter?

I attended a pilates class and there was a woman on a mat doing pilates, and the instructor said to me, “Oh, Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I made some joke about, “might you be a journalist?” Since Miranda is an unusual name 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 experienced so embarrassed. I wished to explain: “Oh my gosh, I do know who you are!” I consider she’s so fabulous and I was simply too awestruck to utter a syllable.

The Origin of a Moniker

It’s been repeatedly stated that you were given your name from Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet you've mentioned you saying otherwise – can you settle the matter definitively?

Yes – I was christened for a district in Sydney. My mother 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 on Reaching for the Moon that was the least organized set of my career, and yet the final product turned out brilliantly. But the local crew operated in a distinct manner. Their concept of time there is really different. Typically, you receive a schedule and you have to be on set punctually. But this was rather flexible – you come on set whenever you happen to be ready. It was a novel approach for me. All aspects 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 you’d be in during a scene and wondering, “What was that noise that disturbed the scene? Ah, it was a crew member opening a bottle during filming, to start a party.” The result was great, 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 retain numbers more readily than I memorise words often, I simply have a numerically-oriented mind. So I think if I hadn’t ended up in acting, I likely might have worked in something to do with numbers, like math or finance.

The Finest Piece of Advice Given

What is the greatest piece of advice you have ever received?

When I was in secondary school, someone addressed us as we were graduating and stated, “have no fear to fail” … an idea I consider is supremely valuable counsel, because you learn so much more from failure than is gained from success. With success, one rarely understand exactly how it happened. Failure, you learn so much more.