Miranda Otto Reveals Perspectives on Her Career, Fandom, and Life's Gifts.

Through a thoughtful interview, the acclaimed performer delves on subjects as varied as her newest character as a regal sea creature to the invaluable wisdom learned through onstage mishaps and fan interactions.

Given the Chance to Become a Sea Creature for a Day

Your latest 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 it be and why?

Without hesitation, the blue groper residing near a specific shoreline – because it’s like an institution, and individuals visit to see it. I just think it’s cool that there’s a local fish that folks genuinely go and see and discuss – 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 adore this film. When I was childhood, it would air on television occasionally, and one time I videotaped it. I just thought it was so funny. It’s Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Not long ago they were playing it at a cinema and it turned out that it was also the favourite film of a friend of mine, and so we attended and just laughed repeatedly. It’s such great piece of humor and the entire cast in it are superb. The director Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – that wasn’t successful. But the original film is an exceptional farce, to be watched often.

A Priceless Lesson Gained Through 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 – now my spouse, but at the time we were not a couple. We were playing as scene partners and during the premiere I stumbled – 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 completely saved me, and then our performance regained momentum and went really, really well. However, I believe the insight gained in that moment was, firstly, always trust the individuals in your scene. If you don’t know your place, if you turn around and toward the people sharing the stage with, you can rediscover where you’re meant to be somehow. It’s such collaborative endeavor, performing live. And secondly, just to have a sense of fun about it. Occasionally when a mistake occurs, things actually spark off in a really great way if you’re fully engaged then. It can be a gift when things go absolutely the wrong way.

Memorable Exchanges with Admirers

Can you describe your most touching interaction with a fan?

There isn't a single specific meeting but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I hear a lot of stories about how that character meant to them when they were younger … things that had happened in their lives and the extent to which that character meant to them and was a form of support to them in those times.

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

The most specific inquiry concerns invariably regarding the stew that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Did that stew taste as terrible as it looked?” It’s become a running gag, the entire episode involving that dish, and everyone wants to know what was in the stew, and its preparation method, and do you think she’s a better cook now, or do you believe she really is a poor chef? People are, I think, obsessed with the comedy of that scene. And I provide great detail describing the components that made up the stew – as I recall what they did; like they even adding pieces of red cotton to make it look like bits of veins in the meat. The crew employed great detail to make it look as bad as they could.

A Cringeworthy Celebrity Encounter

What was your most embarrassing run-in with a famous person?

I attended a fitness session and there was a woman lying down exercising, and the instructor remarked, “Oh, Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I made some joke inquiring, “oh, are you a journalist?” Because it’s an uncommon moniker and most of the time when I meet another Miranda, they’re a journalist. I hadn't properly seeing who it was. And when she got up, it was Miranda Richardson. Then I didn’t know what to say. I was obliged to complete my class, and I experienced intense awkwardness. I wanted to say: “Oh my gosh, I do know your work!” I consider she’s so fabulous and I was simply too awestruck to say anything.

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 you've mentioned you saying otherwise – can you clarify this definitively?

Yes – I was named after a district in Sydney. My mother learned via broadcast that they were inaugurating a shopping centre at that location, and the name sounded like 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 I experienced the most chaotic set of my career, and yet the film turned out incredibly well. But they just work 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 punctually. But this was sort of open ended – 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 final moment, and at times the plan was unclear where they were shooting the next day the methodology. And then I would be in the middle of a scene and wondering, “What was that noise that just interrupted the scene? Ah, it was a crew member opening some champagne during filming, because he’s making a party.” The result was great, but goodness, it’s a really different style of film-making.

A Secret Skill

Do you have a secretly good at?

I naturally possess an aptitude for numbers. I memorise numbers more readily than I learn dialogue often, I’ve just got that kind of a brain. So I believe if I hadn’t ended up in acting, I probably would have entered a field involving numbers, like mathematics or finance.

The Finest Piece of Advice Given

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

During my time in secondary school, a speaker addressed us when we were graduating and they said, “don’t be afraid to fail” … which I think is the best piece of advice, because you learn far more from setbacks than is gained from success. Success, one rarely understand exactly how it happened. Failure, you learn abundant.