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In a candid discussion, Miranda Otto opens up on subjects as varied as her newest character as a regal sea creature to the profound lessons gleaned from onstage mishaps and fan interactions.

Given the Chance to Become a Fish for a Day

The most recent character portrays 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 you choose and why?

Without hesitation, the blue groper residing near Clovelly beach – because it’s like an institution, and people go there to see 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

What film do you always return to, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I love this film. When I was growing up, it used to come on the ABC occasionally, and once I recorded it. I just thought it was so funny. It stars Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Not long ago they were showing it at the Ritz and I discovered that it was the preferred movie of an acquaintance, and so we attended and just laughed and laughed. It’s such masterful work of humor and all the actors in it are superb. The director Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – that wasn’t as effective. But Lubitsch's version is an exceptional farce, worth viewing regularly.

The Best Lesson Learned From a Co-Star

What is the most valuable lesson you took away 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 a couple. We portrayed characters opposite each other and on opening night I stumbled – I jumped ahead some dialogue in the script. I was unaware of my error but I abruptly sensed something wasn’t right. I recall looking at him, and he completely saved me, and then the scene took off again and went really, really well. But I think the insight gained then was, first, always trust the people in your scene. If you don’t know where you are, by looking and look at the actors you’re with, you can rediscover your correct position in some way. It’s such communal thing, performing live. And next, just to have a lighthearted attitude about it. Occasionally when something goes wrong, things actually spark off in a wonderfully positive way if you’re fully engaged then. It may become a gift when things go completely awry.

Heartening Interactions with Admirers

Can you describe your most memorable interaction with a fan?

It’s not a single particular interaction but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I am told numerous accounts about how that character impacted them when they were younger … things that had happened in their lives and how much Eowyn signified for 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 always about the stew that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Did that stew taste as terrible as it looked?” It’s become such a joke, the whole thing about the stew, and everyone wants to know the contents of 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 humour of that situation. And I go into great detail describing the ingredients that made up the concoction – because I remember what they did; like they even put bits of red cotton to make it look like bits of veins in the meat. The crew employed extreme measures to render it as bad as they could.

An Awkward Star Encounter

What’s been your most embarrassing celebrity encounter?

I attended a pilates class and another participant lying down exercising, and the instructor said to me, “Hello Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I made a lighthearted remark inquiring, “might you be a journalist?” Since Miranda is an unusual name and most of the time 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 didn’t know words. I was obliged to complete my class, and I experienced so embarrassed. I wished to explain: “Goodness, I do know your work!” I think her talent is immense and I was simply too awestruck to say anything.

The Origin of a Moniker

It’s been confidently claimed that you were named after Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet I’ve read stating otherwise – can you clarify this definitively?

Yes – I was christened for a district in Sydney. My mother learned via broadcast that they were opening a mall at Miranda, and she thought sounded like a nice name.

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 I’ve ever worked on, 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 punctually. But this was sort of open ended – one would appear whenever you happen to be ready. It was a novel approach for me. The elements were being assembled at the final moment, and sometimes the plan was unclear where they were shooting the next day how we were going to do it. And then you’d be in the middle of a scene and be like, “What caused that sound that disturbed the scene? Oh, it’s a crew member opening some champagne during filming, because he’s making a party.” The result was excellent, but goodness, it’s a really different approach to film-making.

A Hidden Talent

What are you secretly good at?

I naturally possess good with 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 Finest Guidance Given

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

During my time in secondary school, someone came to speak as we were graduating and stated, “don’t be afraid to fail” … an idea I consider is the best piece of advice, because you learn far more from setbacks than is gained from triumph. Success, one rarely comprehends precisely why it happened. With failure, you learn abundant.