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During a revealing interview, Miranda Otto opens up on subjects as varied as her latest role as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the profound lessons gleaned from theatrical mistakes and meeting admirers.

Given the Chance to Become a Fish for a Day

Your latest 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?

Without hesitation, that particular fish residing near Clovelly beach – because it’s a local landmark, and people go there specifically to spot it. I just think it’s cool that there’s a local fish that people actually go and see and talk about – it’s a special fish.

A Film Favorite to Revisit

What film do you always return to, and why?

The 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I love this picture. During my growing up, it used to come on the ABC occasionally, and once I recorded it. I found it was so funny. It stars the legendary Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Recently they were showing it at a cinema and I discovered that it was also the favourite film of a friend of mine, and so we went and simply chuckled repeatedly. It’s such masterful work of humor 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, to be watched often.

The Best Lesson Gained Through a Fellow Actor

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

Years ago I performed in A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – now my spouse, but at the time we were not a couple. We were playing opposite each other and during the premiere I tripped up – I jumped ahead some dialogue in the script. I didn’t know what I’d done but I suddenly realised something wasn’t right. I remember glancing toward him, and he completely saved me, and then the scene regained momentum and proceeded splendidly. However, I believe what I learned then was, first, always trust the people you’re working with. If you don’t know your place, if you turn around and toward the people sharing the stage with, you will find where you’re meant to be somehow. It’s such collaborative endeavor, acting on stage. And secondly, to maintain a sense of fun about it. Sometimes when something goes wrong, things actually spark off in a wonderfully positive way provided you are really present then. It may become an unexpected boon when things go completely the wrong way.

Heartening Exchanges with Fans

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, especially female fans, I am told numerous accounts about how that character impacted them when they were growing up … things that had happened in their lives and the extent to which Eowyn meant to them and was a form of support to them in those times.

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

The most specific question is always about that infamous meal her character prepares for Aragorn. “Was the stew as terrible as it looked?” It’s become such a joke, the entire episode about the stew, and everyone wants to know the contents of the stew, and its preparation method, and do you think she’s a better cook now, or do you believe she really is a bad cook? Fans seem, in my view, fascinated by the humour of that scene. And I go into lengthy descriptions listing the ingredients that constituted the stew – because I remember what they did; like they even put bits of colored thread to simulate the appearance like bits of veins in the meat. The crew employed great detail to render it as bad as they could.

An Awkward Celebrity Encounter

What’s been your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I was at a pilates class and another participant lying down exercising, and the teacher remarked, “Oh, Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I attempted a lighthearted remark about, “oh, are you a journalist?” Because it’s an unusual name and often when someone’s a Miranda, they work in media. I wasn’t really identified her. And when she got up, it was the actress Miranda Richardson. Then I didn’t know what to say. I still had to complete my class, and I felt so embarrassed. I wanted to say: “Oh my gosh, I do know who you are!” I think she’s so fabulous and I was simply too awestruck to utter a syllable.

The Origin of a Name

It’s been confidently claimed that you were named after Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet I’ve read you saying otherwise – can you settle the matter once and for all?

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

Chaos on Location

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

When I was working in Brazil for the film Reaching for the Moon that was the most chaotic set of my career, and yet the final product emerged brilliantly. But the local crew operated in such a different way. Their concept of time there is really different. Typically, you receive a schedule and you have to be on set punctually. But this was sort of open ended – one would appear at one's convenience. It was a novel approach for me. All aspects were being assembled at the very last minute, and sometimes the plan was unclear where they were shooting the next day the methodology. And then I would be in the middle of a scene and wondering, “What caused that sound that disturbed the scene? Oh, it’s a crew member opening some champagne on set, to start a party.” It turned out great, but wow, it’s a really different approach to film-making.

A Secret Talent

What are you secretly good at?

I’ve always been an aptitude for numbers. I retain numbers more readily than I learn dialogue a lot of the time, I simply have that kind of a brain. So I believe had I not pursued acting, I probably would have worked in something to do with numbers, like mathematics or accounting.

The Finest Piece of Advice Given

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

During my time in secondary school, a speaker came to speak as we were graduating and they said, “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 is gained from triumph. Success, one rarely understand exactly how it happened. Failure, you learn so much more.