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In a candid discussion, Miranda Otto delves on subjects as varied as her newest character as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the invaluable wisdom learned through theatrical mistakes and fan interactions.

Given the Chance to Become a Sea Creature 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, that particular fish residing near a specific shoreline – because it’s a local landmark, and individuals visit to see it. I just think it’s cool that there’s a local fish that folks genuinely go and see and talk about – it holds a unique status.

A Cinematic Staple to Return To

Which movie do you always return to, and why?

The 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I love this film. When I was childhood, it used to come on the ABC every now and again, and one time I videotaped it. I found it was hilarious. It’s Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Not long ago 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 simply chuckled repeatedly. It’s such masterful work of humor and all the actors in it are superb. Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – which was not as effective. But Lubitsch's version is a brilliant comedy, worth viewing regularly.

The Best Insight Gained Through a Fellow Actor

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

I was doing A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – now my spouse, but at the time we were not a couple. 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 suddenly realised something wasn’t right. I recall glancing toward him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then our performance took off again and went really, really well. But I think the insight gained then was, first, always trust the individuals in your scene. If you don’t know your place, if you turn around and toward the people you’re with, you will find your correct position in some way. It is a profoundly collaborative endeavor, acting on stage. And secondly, to maintain a sense of fun about it. Occasionally when a mistake occurs, things actually spark off in a wonderfully positive direction provided you are fully engaged then. It may become a gift when things go completely the wrong way.

Memorable Interactions with Fans

Can you describe your most memorable interaction with a fan?

There isn't just one specific meeting but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I am told numerous accounts about how that character meant to them when they were younger … events that occurred in their lives and the extent to which that character meant to them and was some kind of help to them in those times.

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

The most specific question is always about the stew her character prepares for Aragorn. “Did that stew taste as terrible as it looked?” It’s become a running gag, the whole thing about the stew, and everyone wants to know what was in the stew, and its preparation method, and in your opinion her skills improved now, or do you think she really is a poor chef? Fans seem, in my view, obsessed with the humour of that scene. And I go into great detail describing the ingredients that constituted the concoction – because I remember the efforts made; such as adding pieces of colored thread to make it look like blood vessels in the meat. They went to great detail to make it look as unappetizing as possible.

A Cringeworthy Star Meeting

What was your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I attended a fitness session and there was a woman lying down exercising, and the instructor remarked, “Oh, Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I made a lighthearted remark about, “oh, are you 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 Miranda Richardson. At that point, I was at a loss for what to say. I still had to stay and do my class, and I experienced intense awkwardness. I wished to explain: “Oh my gosh, I am aware of your work!” I think her talent is immense and I was just too starstruck to utter a syllable.

The Source of a Name

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 settle the matter once and for all?

Yes – I was christened for a district in Sydney. Mum heard on the radio that they were inaugurating a mall at that location, and she thought seemed a nice name.

Pandemonium on Location

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

While working in Brazil for the film Reaching for the Moon that was the least organized set of my career, and yet the film turned out brilliantly. But they just work in such a different way. The sense of time there is unique. Typically, you normally have a schedule and must arrive on set by a certain time. But this was rather open ended – one would appear at one's convenience. It was a really different way of working for me. The elements were being assembled at the very last minute, and at times the plan was unclear the next location the next day the methodology. And then I would be in the middle of a scene and be like, “What caused that sound 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 approach to film-making.

A Hidden Talent

What are you secretly good at?

I naturally possess good with numbers. I retain numbers more readily than I learn dialogue often, 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 math or accounting.

The Best Guidance Given

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

During my time in secondary school, someone addressed us when we were graduating and they said, “have no fear to fail” … which I think is supremely valuable counsel, because you learn far more from setbacks than you learn from success. Success, you never really comprehends exactly how it happened. With failure, the lessons are abundant.