Miranda Otto Shares Insights on Her Career, Devoted Fans, and Unexpected Lessons.

Through a thoughtful conversation, the acclaimed performer reflects on subjects as varied as her latest role as a regal sea creature to the profound lessons learned through onstage mishaps and fan interactions.

Given the Chance to Become a Sea Creature for a Day

Your latest role is the monarch of the cuttlefish in The Pout-Pout Fish; if you could be a fish for a day, which one would you choose and why?

Without hesitation, that particular fish residing near Clovelly beach – since it is a local landmark, and individuals visit to see it. It strikes me as remarkable that a resident aquatic creature that folks genuinely seek out and discuss – it’s a special fish.

A Cinematic Favorite to Return To

Which movie do you repeatedly watch, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this film. When I was childhood, it would air on the ABC occasionally, and once I videotaped it. I just thought it was so funny. It’s Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Recently they were playing it at the Ritz and it turned out that it was also the favourite film of a friend of mine, and so we went and just laughed repeatedly. It’s such great piece of comedy and the entire cast in it are superb. Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – that wasn’t as effective. But Lubitsch's version is a brilliant comedy, to be watched regularly.

The Best Insight Learned From a Fellow Actor

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

I was doing A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – now my spouse, but back then we were not together. We were playing opposite each other and on opening night I tripped up – I jumped ahead some dialogue in the script. I was unaware of my error but I suddenly realised things were off. I remember looking at him, and he completely saved me, and then our performance took off again and went really, really well. But I think the insight gained in that moment was, firstly, always trust the individuals you’re working with. If you don’t know where you are, if you turn around and look at the actors you’re with, you can rediscover where you’re meant to be in some way. It’s such communal thing, acting on stage. And next, just to have a sense of fun about it. Sometimes when a mistake occurs, things actually spark off in a wonderfully positive way provided you are fully engaged then. It may become a gift when things go completely the wrong way.

Memorable Exchanges with Admirers

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

It’s not a single particular interaction but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I am told numerous 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 signified for them and was some kind of help to them in those times.

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

The most specific question is invariably regarding that infamous meal that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Did that stew taste really that bad?” It’s become a running gag, the entire episode involving that dish, and all fans wish to know what was in the pot, and its preparation method, and do you think she’s a better cook now, or do you think she really is a bad cook? Fans seem, I think, fascinated by the comedy of that situation. And I go into lengthy descriptions describing the ingredients that made up the concoction – as I recall the efforts made; like they even adding pieces of colored thread to make it look like bits of veins in the meat. The crew employed great detail to render it as bad as they could.

An Awkward Celebrity Encounter

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 instructor remarked, “Oh, Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I attempted some joke about, “might you be a journalist?” Because it’s an uncommon moniker and most of the time when I meet another Miranda, they work in media. I wasn’t really seeing who it was. And when she got up, it was Miranda Richardson. Then I didn’t know words. I was obliged to complete my class, and I felt so embarrassed. I wanted to say: “Goodness, I am aware of who you are!” I consider she’s so fabulous and I was simply too awestruck to say anything.

The Origin of a Name

It’s been confidently claimed that you were named after Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet you've mentioned you saying otherwise – can you clarify this once and for all?

Indeed, I was christened for a district in Sydney. Mum learned via broadcast that they were inaugurating a mall at that location, and the name seemed 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 emerged incredibly well. But the local crew operated in such a different way. The sense of time there is really different. Typically, you normally have a call sheet and you have to be 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. The elements were being assembled 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 you’d be in the middle of a scene and wondering, “What caused that sound that just interrupted the scene? Oh, it’s the producer opening a bottle on set, to start a party.” It turned out excellent, but goodness, it’s a really different style of film-making.

A Hidden Skill

What are you secretly good at?

I naturally possess good with numbers. I memorise numbers easier than I learn dialogue a lot of the time, I’ve just got a numerically-oriented mind. So I believe if I hadn’t ended up in acting, I probably would have entered a field involving numbers, like mathematics or accounting.

The Best Guidance Given

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” … an idea I consider is supremely valuable counsel, since one gains far more from failure than is gained from triumph. Success, one rarely comprehends exactly how it happened. Failure, you learn so much more.