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During a revealing conversation, Miranda Otto reflects on topics ranging from her latest role as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the invaluable wisdom gleaned from theatrical mistakes and meeting admirers.

If You Could Be a Sea Creature for a Day

The most recent role is the monarch 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, that particular fish residing near Clovelly beach – since it is a local landmark, and people go there to see it. I just think it’s cool that a resident aquatic creature that people actually go and see and discuss – it holds a unique status.

A Cinematic Staple to Revisit

Which movie do you always return to, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I love this film. When I was childhood, it would air on the ABC every now and again, and once I videotaped 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 it turned out that it was also the favourite film of a friend of mine, and so we went and simply chuckled repeatedly. It is a great piece of humor and all the actors in it are fantastic. The director Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – that wasn’t as effective. But Lubitsch's version is an exceptional farce, to be watched often.

A Priceless Lesson Gained Through a Co-Star

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

I was doing A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – my husband now, but back then we were not a couple. We portrayed characters as scene partners and during the premiere I tripped up – I jumped ahead a few lines in the script. I didn’t know of my error but I suddenly realised something wasn’t right. 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 then was, first, always trust the individuals in your scene. If you don’t know where you are, if you turn around and toward the people sharing the stage with, you can rediscover your correct position somehow. It is a profoundly communal thing, acting on stage. And next, just to have a sense of fun regarding it. Occasionally when something goes wrong, things can ignite in a wonderfully positive way provided you are fully engaged then. It can be a gift when things go completely awry.

Memorable Exchanges with Fans

Can you describe your most memorable interaction with a fan?

It’s not a single specific meeting but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I hear a lot of accounts about what Eowyn impacted them when they were growing up … events that occurred in their lives and how much Eowyn meant to them and was a form of support to them during those periods.

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

The most detailed question is invariably regarding the stew that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Did that stew taste as terrible as it looked?” It has evolved into such a joke, the entire episode about the stew, 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 bad cook? Fans seem, I think, obsessed with the humour of that scene. And I provide great detail listing the ingredients that constituted the stew – as I recall what they did; like they even adding pieces of colored thread to simulate the appearance like blood vessels in the meat. They went to great detail to make it look as unappetizing as possible.

A Cringeworthy Star Encounter

What was your most embarrassing celebrity encounter?

I attended a fitness session and there was a woman on a mat doing pilates, and the teacher remarked, “Hello Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I made some joke about, “oh, are you a journalist?” Since Miranda is an uncommon moniker and often when someone’s a Miranda, they’re a journalist. I wasn’t really identified her. And as she rose, it was Miranda Richardson. Then I was at a loss for what to say. I was obliged to stay and do my class, and I experienced intense awkwardness. I wanted to say: “Goodness, I am aware of your work!” I think her talent is immense and I was just too starstruck to utter a syllable.

The Origin of a Moniker

It’s been repeatedly stated 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?

Indeed, I was named after a district in Sydney. Mum heard on the radio that they were opening a shopping centre at Miranda, and the name sounded like a nice name.

Chaos on Set

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

When I was working in Brazil for the film Reaching for the Moon that was the least organized set of my career, and yet the film turned out 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 rather open ended – one would appear whenever you happen to be ready. It was a really different way of working for me. All aspects were all coming together 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 during a scene and wondering, “What caused that sound that disturbed the scene? Oh, it’s a crew member popping open a bottle during filming, to start a party.” The result was excellent, but wow, it’s a really different style of film-making.

A Hidden Talent

Do you have a secretly good at?

I naturally possess an aptitude for numbers. I retain 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 entered a field involving numbers, like math or finance.

The Finest Piece of Advice Given

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

When I was in high school, someone addressed us as we were graduating and they said, “have no fear to fail” … an idea I consider is supremely valuable counsel, because you learn far more from setbacks than you learn from triumph. Success, one rarely comprehends precisely why it happened. With failure, the lessons are so much more.