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In a candid interview, Miranda Otto opens up on topics ranging from her newest character as a regal sea creature to the invaluable wisdom learned through onstage mishaps and meeting admirers.

Given the Chance to Become a Sea Creature for a Day

Your latest role is the monarch 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, the blue groper residing near a specific shoreline – because it’s a local landmark, and people go there specifically to spot it. It strikes me as remarkable that a resident aquatic creature that folks genuinely go and see and discuss – it holds a unique status.

A Film Favorite to Revisit

Which movie do you always return to, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this film. When I was childhood, it would air on television occasionally, and one time I videotaped it. I found it was hilarious. It stars the legendary Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Not long ago they were playing it at the Ritz and it turned out that it was the preferred movie of an acquaintance, and so we attended and simply chuckled repeatedly. It’s such great piece of humor and the entire cast in it are fantastic. The director Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – that wasn’t successful. But the original film is a brilliant comedy, to be watched regularly.

A Priceless Insight Gained Through a Co-Star

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

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 opposite each other and during the premiere 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 remember glancing toward him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then our performance regained momentum and proceeded splendidly. However, I believe the insight gained in that moment was, first, always trust the people you’re working with. If you don’t know your place, if you turn around and look at the actors you’re with, you can rediscover where you’re meant to be in some way. It is a profoundly communal thing, acting on stage. And next, to maintain a sense of fun about it. Occasionally when something goes wrong, things can ignite in a really great way if you’re really present in that moment. It may become a gift when things go absolutely awry.

Heartening Exchanges with Admirers

Can you describe your most touching interaction with a fan?

There isn't just one particular interaction but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I hear a lot of stories about how that character impacted them when they were growing up … things that had happened in their lives and how much that character meant to them and was a form of support to them during those periods.

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

The most specific inquiry concerns always about that infamous meal her character prepares for Aragorn. “Was the stew really that bad?” It’s become a running gag, the whole thing involving that dish, and everyone wants to know what was in the stew, 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 provide lengthy descriptions listing the ingredients that constituted the concoction – because I remember what they did; such as put bits of red cotton to make it look like bits of veins in the meat. They went to great detail to render it as unappetizing as they could.

A Cringeworthy Star Meeting

What was your most cringeworthy run-in with a famous person?

I was at a fitness session and another participant lying down doing pilates, and the teacher remarked, “Oh, Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I attempted some joke inquiring, “oh, are you a journalist?” Because it’s an unusual name and most of the time when someone’s a Miranda, they’re a journalist. I wasn’t really seeing who it was. And when she got up, it was Miranda Richardson. At that point, I didn’t know words. I was obliged to stay and do my class, and I experienced so embarrassed. I wished to explain: “Oh my gosh, I am aware of who you are!” I consider she’s so fabulous and I was just too starstruck to utter a syllable.

The Source of a Name

Articles have 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?

Yes – I was named after the Sydney suburb. My mother learned via broadcast that they were inaugurating a shopping centre at that location, and she thought seemed a nice name.

Pandemonium on Set

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

While working in Brazil on Reaching for the Moon that was the most chaotic set I’ve ever worked on, and yet the final product emerged incredibly well. But the local crew operated in such a different way. The sense of time there is unique. In Australia, you normally have a schedule and must arrive on set by a certain time. But this was rather flexible – one would appear whenever you happen to be ready. It was a really different approach for me. The elements were all coming together at the final moment, and at times they wouldn’t know the next location or the methodology. And then I would be in during a scene and be like, “What was that noise that just interrupted the scene? Oh, it’s a crew member popping open a bottle on set, to start a party.” It turned out excellent, but goodness, it’s a really different style of film-making.

A Hidden Skill

What are you secretly good at?

I naturally possess an aptitude for numbers. I memorise numbers more readily than I learn dialogue often, I’ve just got that kind of a brain. So I think if I hadn’t ended up in acting, I probably would have entered a field something to do with numbers, like math or finance.

The Best Piece of Advice Given

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

When I was in high school, someone addressed us as we were graduating and stated, “don’t be afraid to fail” … which I think is supremely valuable counsel, since one gains so much more from failure than is gained from success. With success, you never really understand precisely why it happened. With failure, you learn abundant.