The actress Shares Perspectives on Acting, Devoted Fans, and Life's Gifts.

During a revealing conversation, Miranda Otto reflects on topics ranging from her newest character as a regal sea creature to the invaluable wisdom gleaned from onstage mishaps and meeting admirers.

If You Could Be a Sea Creature 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?

Straight away, the blue groper found at Clovelly beach – because it’s like an institution, and people go there to see it. It strikes me it’s cool that there’s a local fish that people actually seek out and talk about – it’s a special fish.

A Cinematic Staple to Revisit

Which movie do you always return to, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I love this film. During my childhood, it used to come on television every now and again, and once I recorded it. I found it was so funny. It stars Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Not long ago 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 attended and simply chuckled and laughed. It’s such great piece of comedy and the entire cast in it are fantastic. Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – that wasn’t successful. But the original film is a brilliant comedy, to be watched regularly.

A Priceless Lesson Gained Through a Co-Star

What is the most valuable lesson you took away from someone a colleague?

Years ago I performed in A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – now my spouse, but back then we were not a couple. We were playing as scene partners 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 something wasn’t right. I recall glancing toward him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then the scene took off again and proceeded splendidly. But I think what I learned in that moment was, first, always trust the people in your scene. If you don’t know where you are, by looking and toward the actors you’re with, you will find where you’re meant to be somehow. It is a profoundly collaborative endeavor, performing live. And secondly, to maintain a sense of fun regarding it. Occasionally when something goes wrong, things can ignite in a wonderfully positive direction provided you are really present in that moment. It can be an unexpected boon when things go completely the wrong way.

Heartening Interactions with Admirers

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

There isn't a single particular interaction but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I hear a lot of accounts about what Eowyn meant to them when they were growing up … events that occurred in their lives and the extent to which Eowyn meant to them and was some kind of help to them during those periods.

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

The most detailed inquiry concerns always about the stew that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Was the stew really that bad?” It has evolved into a running gag, the entire episode involving that dish, and all fans wish to know what was in the stew, and its preparation method, and in your opinion her skills improved now, or do you think she really is a poor chef? Fans seem, in my view, obsessed with the comedy of that scene. And I go into great detail listing the ingredients that made up the stew – as I recall the efforts made; like they even put bits of red cotton to make it look like blood vessels in the meat. They went to great detail to make it look as unappetizing as they could.

A Cringeworthy Celebrity Meeting

What’s been your most embarrassing run-in with a famous person?

I was at a pilates class and another participant on a mat doing pilates, and the teacher remarked, “Oh, Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I made some joke about, “oh, are you a journalist?” Since Miranda is an uncommon moniker and most of the time when someone’s a Miranda, they work in media. I hadn't properly identified her. And as she rose, it was Miranda Richardson. Then I didn’t know words. I was obliged to complete my class, and I felt intense awkwardness. I wanted to say: “Oh my gosh, I am aware of your work!” I think she’s so fabulous and I was just too starstruck to utter a syllable.

The Origin of a Moniker

Articles have repeatedly stated 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 definitively?

Indeed, I was christened for the Sydney suburb. Mum learned via broadcast that they were inaugurating a mall at Miranda, and she thought seemed a pleasant choice.

Chaos on Location

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

When I was working in Brazil on Reaching for the Moon I experienced the most chaotic set of my career, and yet the film turned out incredibly well. But they just work in a distinct manner. The sense of time there is really different. In Australia, you normally have a call sheet and you have to be on set punctually. But this was sort of open ended – you come on set at one's convenience. It was a really different way of working for me. All aspects were being assembled at the very last minute, and sometimes they wouldn’t know 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 a bottle on set, because he’s making a party.” It turned out great, but goodness, it’s a distinct approach to film-making.

A Secret Skill

What are you secretly good at?

I’ve always been good with numbers. I memorise numbers easier than I memorise words often, I’ve just got a numerically-oriented mind. So I believe if I hadn’t pursued acting, I likely might have entered a field involving numbers, like mathematics or accounting.

The Finest Piece of Advice Ever Received

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, “don’t be afraid to fail” … which I think is supremely valuable counsel, because you learn so much more from failure than is gained from triumph. With success, you never really comprehends exactly how it happened. Failure, you learn abundant.