Miranda Otto Reveals Insights on Acting, Fandom, and Life's Lessons.

Through a thoughtful discussion, Miranda Otto reflects on topics ranging from her latest role as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the invaluable wisdom learned through theatrical mistakes and meeting admirers.

Given the Chance to Become a Fish 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 found at a specific shoreline – since it is like an institution, and individuals visit specifically to spot it. It strikes me it’s cool that there’s a local fish that folks genuinely go and see and discuss – it holds a unique status.

A Film Staple to Revisit

Which movie do you repeatedly watch, and why?

The 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this film. When I was childhood, it would air on the ABC every now and again, and once I recorded it. I found it was so funny. It’s Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Not long ago they were playing it at the Ritz and it turned out that it was the preferred movie of an acquaintance, and so we attended and simply chuckled and laughed. It’s such great piece of humor and the entire cast in it are fantastic. The director Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – which was not as effective. But Lubitsch's version is a brilliant comedy, worth viewing often.

The Best Lesson Gained Through a Co-Star

What’s the best lesson you took away 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 together. We portrayed characters opposite each other and during the premiere I tripped up – I jumped ahead some dialogue in the script. I didn’t know what I’d done but I suddenly realised something wasn’t right. I remember looking at him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then our performance took off again and went really, really well. But I think what I learned then was, first, always trust the individuals in your scene. If you don’t know your place, if you turn around and look at the actors sharing the stage with, you can rediscover your correct position somehow. It’s such communal thing, acting on stage. And secondly, to maintain a lighthearted attitude about it. Sometimes when something goes wrong, things can ignite in a wonderfully positive way if you’re really present then. It may become a gift when things go absolutely the wrong way.

Heartening Exchanges with Admirers

Can you describe 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 stories about what Eowyn meant to them when they were younger … events that occurred in their lives and the extent to which Eowyn meant to them and was some kind of help 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 the stew her character prepares for Aragorn. “Was the stew 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 stew, and its preparation method, and in your opinion she’s a better cook now, or do you think she really is a poor chef? Fans seem, I think, obsessed with the humour of that situation. And I provide lengthy descriptions listing the components that constituted the stew – because I remember what they did; like they even put bits of colored thread to simulate the appearance like blood vessels in the meat. The crew employed extreme measures to render it as unappetizing as they could.

An Awkward Celebrity Meeting

What’s been your most embarrassing celebrity encounter?

I was at a pilates class and there was a woman lying down doing pilates, and the instructor said to me, “Hello Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I made a lighthearted remark inquiring, “oh, are you a journalist?” Because it’s an uncommon moniker and often when someone’s a Miranda, they’re a journalist. I hadn't properly identified her. And when she got up, it was the actress Miranda Richardson. At that point, I was at a loss for what to say. I was obliged to stay and do my class, and I experienced intense awkwardness. I wished to explain: “Goodness, I do know your work!” I consider her talent is immense and I was just too starstruck to say anything.

The Source of a Moniker

Articles have confidently claimed that you were given your name from Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet I’ve read stating otherwise – can you settle the matter definitively?

Yes – I was named after a district in Sydney. Mum learned via broadcast that they were inaugurating a mall at Miranda, and the name seemed a nice name.

Chaos on Location

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

When I was working in Brazil on Reaching for the Moon that was the least organized set I’ve ever worked on, and yet the film turned out brilliantly. But the local crew operated in such a different way. The sense of time there is really different. In Australia, you receive a call sheet and you have to be on set by a certain time. But this was rather flexible – you come on set 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 they wouldn’t know the next location or how we were going to do it. 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 opening a bottle on set, to start a party.” It turned out great, but wow, it’s a distinct approach to film-making.

A Secret Talent

Do you have a secretly good at?

I’ve always been good with numbers. I memorise numbers more readily than I memorise words often, I simply have a numerically-oriented mind. So I believe had I not ended up in acting, I likely might have worked in involving numbers, like mathematics or finance.

The Finest Guidance Given

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

When I was in secondary school, someone came to speak as we were graduating and they said, “don’t be afraid to fail” … which I think is the best piece of advice, since one gains so much more from failure than is gained from triumph. With success, you never really understand precisely why it happened. With failure, you learn abundant.