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Through a thoughtful interview, Miranda Otto reflects on subjects as varied as her latest role as a regal sea creature to the profound lessons gleaned from onstage mishaps and meeting admirers.

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; if you could be a fish for a day, which one would it be and why?

Without hesitation, the blue groper residing near Clovelly beach – because it’s a local landmark, and people go there to see it. It strikes me as remarkable that a resident aquatic creature that people actually go and see and discuss – it holds a unique status.

A Cinematic Favorite to Revisit

What film do you repeatedly watch, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I love this picture. During my growing up, it used to come on television every now and again, and one time I videotaped it. I just thought it was so funny. It stars the legendary Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Not long ago they were showing it at the Ritz and I discovered that it was the preferred movie of a friend of mine, and so we went and just laughed repeatedly. It’s such masterful work of comedy 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 an exceptional farce, worth viewing often.

The Best Lesson 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 alongside Peter O’Brien – my husband now, but at the time we were not together. We portrayed characters opposite each other and during the premiere I tripped up – I jumped ahead a few lines in the script. I didn’t know what I’d done but I suddenly realised something wasn’t right. I recall glancing toward him, and he expertly rescued the moment, 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 individuals you’re working with. When you lose where you are, if you turn around and toward the actors you’re with, you can rediscover your correct position somehow. It is a profoundly communal thing, acting on stage. And next, just to have a sense of fun about it. Sometimes when a mistake occurs, things can ignite in a really great way if you’re really present then. It may become an unexpected boon when things go absolutely awry.

Memorable Interactions with Fans

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

It’s not a single particular interaction but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I hear a lot of stories about how that character meant to them when they were growing up … things that had happened in their lives and the extent to which Eowyn signified for them and was some kind of help to them in those times.

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

The most specific question is always about that infamous meal that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Did that stew taste as terrible as it looked?” It’s become such a joke, the whole thing about the stew, and everyone wants to know the contents of the stew, and its preparation method, and do you think her skills improved now, or do you think she really is a poor chef? People are, I think, obsessed with the humour of that situation. And I provide lengthy descriptions listing the components that constituted the concoction – because I remember the efforts made; like they even put bits of red cotton to simulate the appearance like bits of veins in the meat. They went to great detail to make it look as bad as they could.

An Awkward Star Encounter

What was your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I attended a pilates class and there was a woman lying down exercising, and the instructor said to me, “Oh, Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I attempted some joke about, “oh, are you a journalist?” Because it’s an unusual name and often when I meet another 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 words. I was obliged to stay and do my class, and I experienced so embarrassed. I wanted to say: “Goodness, I am aware of who you are!” I think she’s so fabulous and I was just too starstruck to utter a syllable.

The Origin of a Name

Articles have 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?

Yes – I was christened for a district in Sydney. Mum heard on the radio that they were inaugurating a shopping centre at that location, and she thought sounded like a pleasant choice.

Pandemonium on Location

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

While working in Brazil on Reaching for the Moon I experienced the most chaotic set of my career, and yet the final product turned out incredibly well. But they just work in such a different way. Their concept of time there is really different. In Australia, you normally have a call sheet and must arrive on set punctually. But this was sort of flexible – you come on set whenever you happen to be ready. It was a really different approach for me. The elements were all coming together at the very last minute, and at times they wouldn’t know the next location the next day the methodology. And then you’d be in during a scene and wondering, “What caused that sound that disturbed the scene? Ah, it was the producer opening some champagne during filming, to start a party.” It turned out excellent, but goodness, it’s a distinct style of film-making.

A Secret Talent

What are you secretly good at?

I’ve always been good with numbers. I memorise numbers easier than I learn dialogue a lot of the time, I simply have a numerically-oriented mind. So I think had I not pursued acting, I likely might have entered a field involving numbers, like mathematics or finance.

The Finest Guidance Given

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

During my time in secondary school, someone came to speak when we were graduating and stated, “have no fear to fail” … an idea I consider is the best piece of advice, since one gains far more from setbacks than is gained from success. With success, you never really understand exactly how it happened. With failure, the lessons are abundant.