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Through a thoughtful interview, Miranda Otto delves on subjects as varied as her newest character as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the invaluable wisdom learned through onstage mishaps and fan interactions.

If You Could Be a Sea Creature for a Day

The most recent role is 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?

Without hesitation, the blue groper residing near Clovelly beach – because it’s like an institution, and individuals visit specifically to spot it. It strikes me it’s cool that a resident aquatic creature that folks genuinely go and see and discuss – it holds a unique status.

A Cinematic Favorite to Return To

What film do you always return to, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 film 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 found it was so funny. It’s 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 a friend of mine, and so we went and just laughed repeatedly. It is a great piece of humor and all the actors in it are fantastic. Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – which was not successful. But Lubitsch's version is a brilliant comedy, to be watched often.

A Priceless Lesson Gained Through a Fellow Actor

What is the most valuable lesson you learned from someone you’ve worked with?

Years ago I performed in A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – my husband now, but back then we were not together. We were playing opposite each other and during the premiere I tripped up – I jumped ahead a few lines in the script. I was unaware of my error but I abruptly sensed things were off. I recall glancing toward him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then the scene took off again and proceeded splendidly. But I think the insight gained then was, firstly, always trust the people you’re working with. If you don’t know your place, if you turn around and toward the people sharing the stage with, you can rediscover where you’re meant to be in some way. It’s such collaborative endeavor, performing live. And secondly, just to have a sense of fun regarding it. Sometimes when a mistake occurs, things can ignite in a wonderfully positive direction if you’re fully engaged then. It may become a gift when things go completely awry.

Memorable Exchanges with Fans

What’s been your most memorable encounter 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 how that character impacted them when they were younger … events that occurred in their lives and how much that character signified for them and was some kind of help to them in those times.

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

The most detailed inquiry concerns always about the stew her character prepares for Aragorn. “Was the stew as terrible as it looked?” It has evolved into a running gag, the whole thing involving that dish, and all fans wish 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, obsessed with the comedy of that situation. And I go into lengthy descriptions describing the components that constituted the concoction – as I recall what they did; like they even adding pieces of colored thread to make it look like bits of veins in the meat. They went to great detail to make it look as bad as they could.

A Cringeworthy Star Meeting

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

I was at a pilates class and another participant on a mat exercising, and the instructor said to me, “Oh, Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I made a lighthearted remark about, “might you be a journalist?” Because it’s an uncommon moniker and often when someone’s a Miranda, they work in media. I hadn't properly seeing who it was. And as she rose, it was the actress Miranda Richardson. Then I was at a loss for words. I still had to stay and do my class, and I experienced intense awkwardness. I wanted to say: “Goodness, I am aware of your work!” I consider her talent is immense and I was just too starstruck to say anything.

The Source of a Name

It’s been 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 settle the matter once and for all?

Yes – I was christened for the Sydney suburb. My mother learned via broadcast that they were inaugurating a shopping centre at Miranda, and the name sounded like a pleasant choice.

Pandemonium on Set

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

While working in Brazil on Reaching for the Moon I experienced the most chaotic set of my career, and yet the film emerged incredibly well. But the local crew operated in such a different way. The sense of time there is really different. In Australia, you receive a schedule and you have to be on set by a certain time. But this was sort of open ended – you come on set at one's convenience. It was a novel way of working for me. All aspects were all coming together at the very last minute, and sometimes the plan was unclear the next location the next day the methodology. And then I would be in the middle of a scene and be like, “What caused that sound that disturbed the scene? Oh, it’s the producer popping open some champagne during filming, because he’s making a party.” The result was 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 often, I simply have that kind of a brain. So I believe had I not ended up in acting, I likely might have worked in something to do with numbers, like math or accounting.

The Best Piece of Advice Ever Received

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

During my time in secondary school, someone 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 far more from setbacks than you learn from success. With success, you never really understand precisely why it happened. With failure, you learn so much more.