Miranda Otto Shares Insights on Her Career, Fandom, and Life's Gifts.

Through a thoughtful discussion, Miranda Otto opens up on subjects as varied as her latest role as a regal sea creature to the profound lessons learned through theatrical mistakes and meeting admirers.

If You Could Be a Fish for a Day

The most recent character portrays Queen 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 – because it’s a local landmark, and people go there to see it. I just think as remarkable that there’s a local fish that folks genuinely seek out and talk about – it holds a unique status.

A Cinematic Staple to Return To

What film do you always return to, and why?

The 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this picture. During my growing up, it used to come on television every now and again, and one time I recorded it. I just thought it was hilarious. It stars the legendary 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 went and simply chuckled and laughed. It’s such masterful work of comedy and all the actors in it are superb. The director Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – which was not successful. But Lubitsch's version is an exceptional farce, to be watched regularly.

A Priceless Lesson Gained Through 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 – now my spouse, but back then we were not together. 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 of my error 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 in that moment was, firstly, consistently rely on the individuals in your scene. When you lose your place, if you turn around and look at the actors you’re with, you will find your correct position in some way. It is a profoundly communal thing, performing live. And secondly, to maintain a sense of fun about it. Occasionally when a mistake occurs, things can ignite in a wonderfully positive direction provided you are fully engaged then. It may become an unexpected boon when things go completely the wrong way.

Heartening Exchanges with Admirers

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

There isn't a single specific meeting but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I am told numerous stories about what Eowyn meant to them when they were younger … events that occurred in their lives and how much that character meant to them and was a form of support to them in those times.

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

The most specific question is always about that infamous meal that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Was the stew as terrible as it looked?” It has evolved into such a joke, the whole thing about the stew, and everyone wants to know the contents of the pot, and its preparation method, and do you think her skills improved now, or do you believe she really is a poor chef? People are, I think, fascinated by the comedy of that situation. And I go into lengthy descriptions describing the ingredients that constituted the stew – as I recall what they did; such as put bits of red cotton to simulate the appearance like bits of veins in the meat. They went to extreme measures to make it look as bad as possible.

A Cringeworthy Celebrity Encounter

What was your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I was at a pilates class and another participant lying down exercising, and the teacher remarked, “Hello Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I made some joke about, “might you be a journalist?” Because it’s an uncommon moniker and most of the time when I meet another Miranda, they work in media. I wasn’t really seeing who it was. And when she got up, it was the actress Miranda Richardson. At that point, I was at a loss for words. I was obliged to stay and do my class, and I felt so embarrassed. I wished to explain: “Oh my gosh, I am aware of your work!” I think she’s so fabulous and I was just too starstruck to say anything.

The Source of a Moniker

Articles have 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 clarify this definitively?

Yes – I was christened for the Sydney suburb. My mother heard on the radio that they were opening a shopping centre at Miranda, and the name sounded like a nice name.

Chaos on Location

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

When I was working in Brazil for the film Reaching for the Moon I experienced the most chaotic set I’ve ever worked on, and yet the film turned out brilliantly. But the local crew operated in such a different way. Their concept of time there is unique. Typically, you normally have a schedule and must arrive on set by a certain time. But this was sort of open ended – you come on set whenever you happen to be ready. It was a novel approach for me. All aspects were being assembled at the final moment, and at times they wouldn’t know where they were shooting the next day the methodology. And then you’d be in during a scene and wondering, “What caused that sound that just interrupted the scene? Ah, it was a crew member opening some champagne during filming, to start a party.” It turned out great, but goodness, it’s a distinct style of film-making.

A Secret Skill

Do you have a secretly good at?

I’ve always been an aptitude for numbers. I retain numbers more readily than I memorise words a lot of the time, I simply have that kind of a brain. So I think if I hadn’t pursued acting, I likely might have entered a field something to do with numbers, like mathematics or finance.

The Finest Guidance 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 stated, “don’t be afraid to fail” … which I think is the best piece of advice, because you learn so much more from setbacks than is gained from triumph. With success, one rarely comprehends precisely why it happened. Failure, the lessons are abundant.