Miranda Otto Reveals Perspectives on Her Career, Devoted Fans, and Life's Gifts.

Through a thoughtful conversation, the acclaimed performer opens up on subjects as varied as her latest role as a regal sea creature to the invaluable wisdom gleaned from onstage mishaps and meeting admirers.

Given the Chance to Become a Sea Creature for a Day

Your latest 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 it be and why?

Straight away, the blue groper found at Clovelly beach – since it is a local landmark, 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 holds a unique status.

A Film Staple to Return To

What film do you always return to, and why?

The 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I love this film. When I was childhood, it used to come on the ABC every now and again, and one time I recorded it. I just thought it was so funny. It’s the legendary Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Recently they were showing it at the Ritz and it turned out that it was the preferred movie of an acquaintance, and so we attended and simply chuckled repeatedly. It’s such masterful work of comedy and all the actors in it are fantastic. The director Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – that wasn’t successful. But Lubitsch's version is a brilliant comedy, worth viewing regularly.

The Best Lesson Learned From a Fellow Actor

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

Years ago I performed in A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – now my spouse, but at the time we were not together. We were playing opposite each other and on opening night I stumbled – I skipped forward a few lines in the script. I was unaware of my error but I suddenly realised something wasn’t right. I remember looking at him, and he completely saved me, 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, if you turn around and look at the actors you’re 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 about it. Occasionally when something goes wrong, things actually spark off in a really great direction provided you are fully engaged in that moment. It can be a gift when things go absolutely the wrong way.

Heartening Interactions with Admirers

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

It’s not a single specific meeting but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I hear a lot of accounts about how that character meant to them when they were younger … 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.

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

The most detailed inquiry concerns invariably regarding the stew that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Was the stew really that bad?” It’s become such a joke, the whole thing involving that dish, and everyone wants to know the contents of the stew, and its preparation method, and in your opinion she’s a better cook now, or do you believe she really is a poor chef? People are, in my view, fascinated by the humour of that scene. And I provide lengthy descriptions listing the ingredients that made up the concoction – as I recall what they did; such as adding pieces of red cotton to make it look like blood vessels in the meat. The crew employed great detail to render it as bad as they could.

A Cringeworthy Celebrity Meeting

What’s been your most embarrassing celebrity encounter?

I attended a pilates class and there was a woman lying down doing pilates, and the instructor said to me, “Oh, Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I made a lighthearted remark inquiring, “might you be a journalist?” Since Miranda is an uncommon moniker and most of the time when I meet another Miranda, they work in media. I hadn't properly seeing who it was. And when she got up, it was Miranda Richardson. At that point, I didn’t know what to say. I was obliged to stay and do my class, and I experienced so embarrassed. I wanted to say: “Goodness, I am aware of your work!” I consider her talent is immense and I was simply too awestruck to utter a syllable.

The Origin 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 settle the matter definitively?

Yes – I was named after the Sydney suburb. My mother learned via broadcast that they were inaugurating a mall at Miranda, and she thought sounded like a nice name.

Chaos on Location

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

While working in Brazil on Reaching for the Moon that was the least organized set I’ve ever worked on, and yet the final product turned out incredibly well. But they just work in a distinct manner. The sense of time there is really different. 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 novel way of working for me. All aspects were all coming together at the final moment, and at times they wouldn’t know where they were shooting or how we were going to do it. And then I would be in the middle of a scene and wondering, “What caused that sound that just interrupted the scene? Oh, it’s the producer popping open some champagne during filming, because he’s making a party.” The result was excellent, but goodness, it’s a really different style of film-making.

A Secret Talent

What are you secretly good at?

I’ve always been an aptitude for numbers. I memorise numbers more readily than I learn dialogue often, I simply have that kind of a brain. So I think if I hadn’t pursued acting, I likely might have worked in involving numbers, like math or accounting.

The Finest Guidance Ever Received

What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received?

During my time in high school, a speaker addressed us when we were graduating and they said, “have no fear to fail” … which I think is the best piece of advice, since one gains so much more from setbacks than is gained from success. Success, you never really understand exactly how it happened. With failure, the lessons are so much more.