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In a candid discussion, Miranda Otto opens up on topics ranging from her newest character as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the invaluable wisdom gleaned from theatrical mistakes and fan interactions.

If You Could Be a Sea Creature for a Day

The most recent character portrays 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 you choose and why?

Straight away, that particular fish residing near Clovelly beach – since it is like an institution, and people go there specifically to spot it. It strikes me it’s cool that there’s a local fish that people actually go and see and talk about – it holds a unique status.

A Film Favorite to Revisit

Which movie do you always return to, and why?

The 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this picture. During my childhood, it used to come on television occasionally, and one time I videotaped it. I found it was hilarious. It’s the legendary Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Not long ago they were playing it at a cinema and it turned out that it was also the favourite film of an acquaintance, and so we went and just laughed and laughed. It is a masterful work of comedy and all the actors in it are fantastic. Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – that wasn’t as effective. But the original film is a brilliant comedy, worth viewing often.

The Best Lesson Learned From a Co-Star

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

I was doing A Doll’s House with Pete – now my spouse, but back then 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 abruptly sensed things were off. I recall looking at him, and he completely saved me, and then the scene took off again and went really, really well. However, I believe what I learned in that moment was, first, consistently rely on the people you’re working with. When you lose your place, by looking and toward the people you’re with, you can rediscover your correct position in some way. It’s such communal thing, acting on stage. And next, just to have a lighthearted attitude about it. Sometimes when something goes wrong, things can ignite in a really great direction if you’re really present then. It may become a gift when things go absolutely awry.

Heartening Interactions with Admirers

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

It’s not a single specific meeting but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I am told numerous stories about what Eowyn meant to them when they were growing up … things that had happened in their lives and how much Eowyn signified for them and was a form of support to them during those periods.

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

The most specific inquiry concerns invariably regarding the stew her character prepares for Aragorn. “Was the stew really that bad?” It has evolved into a running gag, the entire episode involving that dish, and everyone wants to know what was in the pot, and its preparation method, and in your opinion her skills improved now, or do you believe she really is a bad cook? People are, I think, obsessed with the humour of that scene. And I go into lengthy descriptions describing the components that made up the stew – as I recall what they did; such as put bits of colored thread to simulate the appearance like blood vessels in the meat. They went to great detail to make it look as unappetizing as possible.

A Cringeworthy Celebrity Encounter

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

I was at a pilates class and there was a woman lying down exercising, and the instructor said to me, “Oh, Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I made some joke about, “oh, are you a journalist?” Because it’s an unusual name and most of the time when someone’s a Miranda, they work in media. I wasn’t really seeing who it was. And when she got up, it was Miranda Richardson. At that point, I didn’t know what to say. I still had to stay and do my class, and I experienced intense awkwardness. I wanted to say: “Goodness, I do know who you are!” I think her talent is immense and I was simply too awestruck to say anything.

The Origin of a Name

It’s been confidently claimed that you were given your name from Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet I’ve read stating otherwise – can you clarify this once and for all?

Indeed, I was named after a district in Sydney. My mother heard on the radio that they were inaugurating a mall at Miranda, and the name sounded like a nice name.

Chaos on Location

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 I’ve ever worked on, and yet the final product emerged brilliantly. But the local crew operated in such a different way. The sense of time there is unique. In Australia, you receive a call sheet and must arrive on set by a certain time. But this was rather open ended – one would appear whenever you happen to be ready. It was a really different way of working for me. All aspects were being assembled at the final moment, and sometimes the plan was unclear where they were shooting the next day how we were going to do it. And then I would be in during a scene and be like, “What caused that sound that disturbed the scene? Oh, it’s the producer opening some champagne during filming, because he’s making a party.” The result was great, but wow, it’s a really different style of film-making.

A Secret Talent

Do you have a secretly good at?

I naturally possess an aptitude for numbers. I retain numbers easier than I memorise words often, I simply have that kind of a brain. So I believe had I not ended up in acting, I probably would have entered a field 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 when we were graduating and they said, “don’t be afraid to fail” … an idea I consider is supremely valuable counsel, because you learn far more from failure than you learn from triumph. Success, one rarely comprehends exactly how it happened. Failure, you learn so much more.