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In a candid conversation, Miranda Otto reflects on subjects as varied as her newest character as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the invaluable wisdom gleaned from theatrical mistakes and fan interactions.

If You Could Be a Fish for a Day

The most recent character portrays Queen of the Cuttlefish in The Pout-Pout Fish; if you could 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 a local landmark, and people go there specifically to spot it. I just think as remarkable that there’s a local fish that folks genuinely go and see and talk about – it’s a special fish.

A Cinematic Favorite to Return To

Which movie do you repeatedly watch, and why?

The 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I love this picture. When I was childhood, it would air on the ABC every now and again, and one time I videotaped it. I just thought it was hilarious. It’s Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Recently they were playing it at a cinema and it turned out that it was also the favourite film of an acquaintance, and so we went and simply chuckled repeatedly. It is a great piece of comedy and the entire cast in it are fantastic. The director Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – which was not successful. But Lubitsch's version is an exceptional farce, worth viewing often.

The Best Lesson Learned From a Fellow Actor

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

I was doing A Doll’s House with Pete – my husband now, but back then we were not together. We portrayed characters as scene partners and during the premiere I stumbled – I skipped forward some dialogue in the script. I didn’t know of my error but I abruptly sensed something wasn’t right. I recall glancing toward him, and he completely saved me, and then our performance took off again and went really, really well. But I think what I learned in that moment was, firstly, consistently rely on the people you’re working with. If you don’t know where you are, by looking and toward the people sharing the stage with, you will find where you’re meant to be in some way. It’s such communal thing, performing live. And next, just to have a sense of fun regarding it. Occasionally when something goes wrong, things actually spark off in a really great direction if you’re really present in that moment. It can be an unexpected boon when things go completely awry.

Memorable Exchanges with Admirers

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

There isn't a single particular interaction but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I am told numerous accounts about how that character impacted them when they were growing up … events that occurred in their lives and how much that character meant to them and was a form of support to them during those periods.

What do you get asked about the most by Lord of the Rings fans?

The most specific inquiry concerns invariably regarding that infamous meal her character prepares for Aragorn. “Was the stew really that bad?” It’s become such a joke, the entire episode involving that dish, and everyone wants 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 poor chef? Fans seem, in my view, obsessed with the comedy of that situation. And I go into lengthy descriptions listing the ingredients that made up the stew – as I recall the efforts made; like they even put bits of colored thread to simulate the appearance like bits of veins in the meat. The crew employed great detail to render it as bad as possible.

An Awkward Celebrity Encounter

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

I attended a fitness session and there was a woman lying down doing pilates, and the teacher remarked, “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 wasn’t really identified her. And when she got up, 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 so embarrassed. I wished to explain: “Goodness, 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 Name

Articles have confidently claimed that you were named after Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet you've mentioned stating otherwise – can you clarify this definitively?

Indeed, 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 for the film Reaching for the Moon that was the most chaotic set of my career, and yet the final product emerged incredibly well. But the local crew operated in a distinct manner. The sense of time there is unique. Typically, you normally have a schedule and must arrive on set by a certain time. But this was rather flexible – one would appear whenever you happen to be ready. It was a novel way of working for me. The elements were being assembled at the very last minute, and at times the plan was unclear the next location the next day how we were going to do it. And then I would be in the middle of a scene and be like, “What was that noise that disturbed the scene? Oh, it’s a crew member opening a bottle during filming, because he’s making a party.” The result was great, but goodness, it’s a distinct style of film-making.

A Secret Skill

What are you secretly good at?

I’ve always been an aptitude for numbers. I memorise numbers easier than I learn dialogue often, I simply have that kind of a brain. So I think if I hadn’t ended up in acting, I likely might have entered a field something to do with numbers, like math or finance.

The Finest Piece of Advice Ever Received

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

During my time in high school, a speaker addressed us as we were graduating and they said, “don’t be afraid to fail” … which I think is supremely valuable counsel, since one gains so much more from failure than you learn from success. Success, you never really understand exactly how it happened. With failure, you learn so much more.