The actress Reveals Perspectives on Her Career, Devoted Fans, and Life's Gifts.

During a revealing discussion, Miranda Otto reflects on subjects as varied as her newest character as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the profound lessons gleaned from theatrical mistakes and fan interactions.

If You Could Be a Sea Creature 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 individuals visit to see it. I just think it’s cool that a resident aquatic creature that folks genuinely seek out and discuss – it holds a unique status.

A Cinematic Staple to Revisit

Which movie do you repeatedly watch, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I love this picture. When I was childhood, it used to come on the ABC occasionally, and once I videotaped it. I found it was so funny. It’s Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Not long ago they were playing it at a cinema and I discovered that it was the preferred movie of a friend of mine, and so we went and simply chuckled and laughed. It’s such masterful work of humor and all the actors in it are fantastic. The director Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – that wasn’t as effective. But the original film is a brilliant comedy, to be watched regularly.

A Priceless Insight Gained Through a Fellow Actor

What’s the best lesson you learned from someone you’ve worked with?

Years ago I performed in A Doll’s House with Pete – my husband now, but at the time we were not a couple. We portrayed characters 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 abruptly sensed things were off. I recall looking at him, and he completely saved me, and then our performance regained momentum and proceeded splendidly. However, I believe the insight gained then was, firstly, always trust the individuals you’re working with. When you lose where you are, by looking and look at the actors sharing the stage with, you can rediscover your correct position in some way. It’s such communal thing, acting on stage. And next, just to have a lighthearted attitude regarding it. Sometimes when something goes wrong, things can ignite in a wonderfully positive direction provided you are really present then. It can be an unexpected boon when things go absolutely the wrong way.

Memorable Exchanges with Fans

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

There isn't just one specific meeting but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I am told numerous stories about what Eowyn meant to them when they were growing up … events that occurred in their lives and how much that character meant to them and was some kind of help to them during those periods.

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

The most detailed question is always about that infamous meal her character prepares for Aragorn. “Did that stew taste really that bad?” It’s become such a joke, the entire episode about the stew, and everyone wants to know the contents of the stew, and how was it made, and in your opinion she’s a better cook 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 constituted the concoction – because I remember what they did; such as adding pieces of colored thread to simulate the appearance like bits of veins in the meat. They went to extreme measures to render it as bad as they could.

A Cringeworthy Celebrity Encounter

What’s been your most embarrassing celebrity encounter?

I attended a fitness session and another participant on a mat exercising, and the teacher remarked, “Oh, Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I made a lighthearted remark about, “might you be a journalist?” Since Miranda is an uncommon moniker and most of the time when I meet another Miranda, they’re a journalist. I wasn’t really seeing who it was. And when she got up, it was Miranda Richardson. Then I didn’t know words. I still had to stay and do my class, and I felt intense awkwardness. I wanted to say: “Oh my gosh, I am aware of your work!” I consider she’s so fabulous and I was simply too awestruck to say anything.

The Origin of a Moniker

Articles have confidently claimed that you were given your name from 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 a district in Sydney. Mum learned via broadcast that they were inaugurating a mall at Miranda, and she thought sounded like 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 least organized set I’ve ever worked on, and yet the film emerged incredibly well. But they just work in such a different way. Their concept of time there is unique. In Australia, you receive a call sheet and must arrive on set by a certain time. But this was sort of flexible – you come on set whenever you happen to be ready. It was a really different way of working for me. The elements were being assembled at the final moment, and sometimes they wouldn’t know the next location the next day how we were going to do it. And then you’d be in during a scene and wondering, “What caused that sound that just interrupted the scene? Ah, it was the producer opening some champagne on set, to start a party.” The result was great, but wow, it’s a distinct approach to film-making.

A Hidden Talent

Do you have a secretly good at?

I naturally possess an aptitude for numbers. I memorise numbers more readily than I memorise words often, I simply have that kind of a brain. So I think if I hadn’t pursued acting, I probably would have entered a field involving numbers, like math or accounting.

The Best Guidance Ever Received

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

During my time in secondary school, a speaker came to speak when we were graduating and stated, “have no fear to fail” … which I think is the best piece of advice, because you learn so much more from failure than is gained from success. Success, one rarely understand exactly how it happened. Failure, you learn so much more.