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Through a thoughtful interview, Miranda Otto delves on subjects as varied as her latest role as a regal sea creature to the invaluable wisdom gleaned from theatrical mistakes and meeting admirers.

Given the Chance to Become a Fish 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 you choose and why?

Straight away, that particular fish residing near a specific shoreline – because it’s a local landmark, and individuals visit to see it. It strikes me as remarkable that there’s a local fish that people actually go and see and talk about – it’s a special fish.

A Film Staple to Revisit

Which movie do you repeatedly watch, and why?

The 1942 film 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 once I videotaped it. I found it was hilarious. It stars Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Not long ago they were showing it at a cinema and I discovered that it was the preferred movie of an acquaintance, and so we attended and just laughed and laughed. It’s such great piece of comedy and all the actors in it are superb. Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – that wasn’t as effective. But Lubitsch's version is an exceptional farce, worth viewing often.

A Priceless Insight Gained Through a Fellow Actor

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 – my husband now, but back then we were not together. We portrayed characters as scene partners and on opening night I stumbled – I skipped forward a few lines 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 the scene took off again and proceeded splendidly. But I think the insight gained then was, firstly, always trust the people in your scene. If you don’t know your place, if you turn around and toward the people you’re with, you can rediscover where you’re meant to be in some way. It’s such communal thing, performing live. And next, just to have a sense of fun about it. Sometimes when a mistake occurs, things actually spark off in a wonderfully positive direction provided you are really present then. It can be a gift when things go absolutely awry.

Heartening Interactions with Fans

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

It’s not a single specific meeting but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, 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 how much that character signified for them and was some kind of help to them during those periods.

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

The most detailed inquiry concerns always about that infamous meal her character prepares for Aragorn. “Did that stew taste as terrible as it looked?” It has evolved into a running gag, the entire episode involving that dish, and all fans wish to know the contents of the pot, and how was it made, and do you think her skills improved now, or do you believe she really is a poor chef? Fans seem, in my view, fascinated by the comedy of that situation. And I provide great detail describing the ingredients that made up the concoction – because I remember what they did; such as put bits of red cotton to simulate the appearance like bits of veins in the meat. The crew employed great detail to make it look as unappetizing as possible.

A Cringeworthy Star Encounter

What was your most embarrassing celebrity encounter?

I attended a pilates class and there was a woman on a mat doing pilates, and the teacher said to me, “Hello Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I made a lighthearted remark about, “might you be a journalist?” Since Miranda is an unusual name and most of the time when someone’s a Miranda, they work in media. I hadn't properly identified her. And when she got up, it was the actress Miranda Richardson. Then I didn’t know words. I still had to stay and do my class, and I experienced intense awkwardness. I wished to explain: “Oh my gosh, I do know your work!” I think her talent is immense and I was simply too awestruck to say anything.

The Source of a Moniker

It’s been repeatedly stated that you were given your name from Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet you've mentioned you saying otherwise – can you clarify this definitively?

Indeed, I was christened for a district in Sydney. My mother heard on the radio that they were opening a shopping centre at that location, and she thought sounded like a nice name.

Chaos 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 of my career, and yet the film 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 call sheet and must arrive on set by a certain time. But this was sort of flexible – one would appear at one's convenience. It was a novel approach for me. The elements were all coming together at the final moment, and at times the plan was unclear where they were shooting the next day the methodology. And then I would be in during a scene and be like, “What was that noise that disturbed the scene? Oh, it’s the producer opening some champagne on set, because he’s making a party.” The result was excellent, but wow, it’s a distinct style of film-making.

A Secret Skill

What are you secretly good at?

I’ve always been good with numbers. I memorise numbers easier than I learn dialogue often, I simply have that kind of a brain. So I believe had I not ended up in acting, I likely might have worked in involving numbers, like mathematics or accounting.

The Best Piece of Advice Given

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

When I was in secondary school, someone addressed us when we were graduating and stated, “have no fear to fail” … an idea I consider is supremely valuable counsel, because you learn so much more from failure than is gained from triumph. With success, one rarely understand precisely why it happened. Failure, the lessons are abundant.