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Through a thoughtful interview, Miranda Otto opens up on subjects as varied as her latest role as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the profound lessons learned through onstage mishaps and fan interactions.

Given the Chance to Become a Sea Creature for a Day

The most recent 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?

Without hesitation, that particular fish residing near a specific shoreline – since it is like an institution, and individuals visit specifically to spot it. I just think it’s cool that there’s a local fish that folks genuinely go and see and discuss – it’s a special fish.

A Cinematic Staple to Revisit

What film do you always return to, and why?

The 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I love this film. During my growing up, it used to come on the ABC occasionally, and once I recorded it. I found it was hilarious. It’s Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Not long ago they were playing it at the Ritz and I discovered that it was the preferred movie of an acquaintance, and so we attended and just laughed and laughed. It’s such masterful work of humor and all the actors in it are superb. The director Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – which was not as effective. But Lubitsch's version is a brilliant comedy, to be watched regularly.

A Priceless Insight Learned From a Co-Star

What’s the best lesson you learned 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 a couple. We were playing opposite each other and on opening night I stumbled – I skipped forward a few lines in the script. I was unaware what I’d done but I suddenly realised things were off. I remember looking at him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then the scene took off again and proceeded splendidly. However, I believe the insight gained in that moment was, firstly, always trust the individuals in your scene. When you lose where you are, if you turn around and look at the people sharing the stage with, you can rediscover where you’re meant to be somehow. It’s such communal thing, acting on stage. And secondly, to maintain a lighthearted attitude regarding it. Sometimes when something goes wrong, things can ignite in a really great way provided you are really present in that moment. It may become a gift when things go absolutely awry.

Heartening Interactions 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, especially female fans, I hear a lot of stories about how that character impacted them when they were younger … events that occurred in their lives and the extent to which that character 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. “Did that stew taste as terrible as it looked?” It has evolved into a running gag, the entire episode about the stew, and everyone wants to know the contents of the stew, and how was it made, and do you think she’s a better cook now, or do you think she really is a bad cook? Fans seem, in my view, obsessed with the humour of that scene. And I go into great detail describing the components that made up the stew – because I remember the efforts made; such as adding pieces of colored thread to make it look like blood vessels in the meat. The crew employed great detail to make it look as bad as possible.

An Awkward Celebrity Meeting

What’s been your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I attended a pilates class and there was a woman lying down exercising, and the teacher said to me, “Hello Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I attempted a lighthearted remark inquiring, “oh, are you a journalist?” Because it’s an unusual name and often when I meet another Miranda, they’re a journalist. I hadn't properly 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 stay and do my class, and I experienced intense awkwardness. I wanted to say: “Oh my gosh, I am aware of your work!” I think her talent is immense and I was simply too awestruck to utter a syllable.

The Source of a Moniker

It’s been repeatedly stated that you were named after Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet you've mentioned stating otherwise – can you settle the matter once and for all?

Yes – I was christened for the Sydney suburb. My mother learned via broadcast that they were opening a mall at Miranda, and she thought seemed a nice name.

Chaos on Set

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

When I was 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. Their concept of time there is unique. In Australia, you normally have a schedule and you have to be on set punctually. But this was rather open ended – you come on set at one's convenience. It was a really different approach for me. The elements were all coming together at the final moment, and sometimes they wouldn’t know the next location or how we were going to do it. And then you’d be in the middle of a scene and wondering, “What was that noise that disturbed the scene? Ah, it was the producer opening a bottle during filming, to start a party.” It turned out great, but goodness, it’s a really different approach to film-making.

A Hidden Talent

Do you have a secretly good at?

I naturally possess an aptitude for numbers. I memorise numbers easier than I learn dialogue a lot of the time, I simply have that kind of a brain. So I think if I hadn’t ended up in acting, I likely might have worked in something to do with numbers, like mathematics or finance.

The Best Piece of Advice Given

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

During my time in secondary school, someone addressed us as we were graduating and they said, “don’t be afraid to fail” … which I think is supremely valuable counsel, since one gains far more from failure than is gained from success. With success, one rarely understand exactly how it happened. With failure, the lessons are abundant.