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During a revealing conversation, Miranda Otto opens up on topics ranging from her newest character as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the profound lessons gleaned from theatrical mistakes and fan interactions.

Given the Chance to Become a Sea Creature for a Day

The most recent role is Queen of the Cuttlefish in The Pout-Pout Fish; if you could be a fish for a day, which one would it be and why?

Straight away, that particular fish found at a specific shoreline – because it’s like an institution, and people go there to see it. It strikes me it’s cool 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?

The 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this picture. When I was childhood, it would air on television occasionally, and one time I videotaped it. I found it was hilarious. It’s Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Recently they were playing it at the Ritz 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 great piece of humor and the entire cast in it are fantastic. Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – which was not successful. But Lubitsch's version is an exceptional farce, worth viewing often.

A Priceless Insight Learned From a Fellow Actor

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

I was doing A Doll’s House with Pete – my husband now, but back then we were not together. We portrayed characters as scene partners and on opening night I tripped up – I skipped forward a few lines in the script. I didn’t know what I’d done but I suddenly realised something wasn’t right. I remember looking at him, and he completely saved me, and then the scene took off again and proceeded splendidly. However, I believe the insight gained in that moment was, firstly, always trust the individuals in your scene. When you lose your place, by looking and look at the actors sharing the stage with, you will find where you’re meant to be somehow. It is a profoundly communal thing, acting on stage. And secondly, to maintain a lighthearted attitude about it. Occasionally when something goes wrong, things can ignite in a wonderfully positive direction provided you are fully engaged in that moment. It can be a gift when things go absolutely awry.

Heartening Interactions with Admirers

Can you describe your most touching encounter with a fan?

It’s not a single particular interaction but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I hear a lot of 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 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’s become such a joke, the whole thing involving that dish, and everyone wants to know what was in the stew, and how was it made, and in your opinion she’s a better cook now, or do you believe she really is a poor chef? People are, I think, obsessed with the comedy of that situation. And I go into great detail listing the ingredients that made up the stew – because I remember the efforts made; like they even adding pieces of colored thread to simulate the appearance like bits of veins in the meat. They went to great detail to render it as unappetizing as they could.

A Cringeworthy Star Encounter

What’s been your most embarrassing run-in with a famous person?

I attended a fitness session and there was a woman on a mat exercising, and the teacher remarked, “Hello Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I attempted a lighthearted remark about, “might you be a journalist?” Because it’s an uncommon moniker and often when someone’s a Miranda, they work in media. I hadn't properly seeing who it was. And when she got up, it was the actress Miranda Richardson. Then I was at a loss for what to say. I still had to stay and do my class, and I felt intense awkwardness. I wished to explain: “Oh my gosh, I do know who you are!” I consider her talent is immense and I was just too starstruck to say anything.

The Source of a Name

Articles have confidently claimed that you were named after Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet you've mentioned stating otherwise – can you clarify this once and for all?

Indeed, I was christened for the Sydney suburb. My mother heard on the radio that they were inaugurating a mall at Miranda, and she thought seemed a nice name.

Pandemonium on Set

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 most chaotic set I’ve ever worked on, and yet the final product turned out brilliantly. But they just work in such a different way. 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 open ended – one would appear at one's convenience. It was a really different approach for me. All aspects were being assembled at the very last minute, and sometimes they wouldn’t know where they were shooting the next day the methodology. And then you’d be in the middle of a scene and wondering, “What was that noise that just interrupted the scene? Ah, it was a crew member 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 Secret Talent

What are you secretly good at?

I naturally possess an aptitude for numbers. I memorise numbers more readily 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 worked in involving numbers, like math or accounting.

The Best Piece of Advice Given

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

During my time in high school, someone came to speak as we were graduating and stated, “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 you learn from triumph. Success, you never really understand exactly how it happened. With failure, you learn abundant.