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During a revealing conversation, Miranda Otto reflects on subjects as varied as her latest role as a regal sea creature to the profound lessons gleaned from onstage mishaps and meeting admirers.

Given the Chance to Become a Sea Creature for a Day

Your latest character portrays Queen 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?

Straight away, that particular fish residing near a specific shoreline – because it’s a local landmark, and individuals visit specifically to spot it. I just think it’s cool that there’s a local fish that people actually go and see and talk about – it’s a special fish.

A Film Favorite to Return To

Which movie do you always return to, and why?

The 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this picture. When I was childhood, it used to come on the ABC occasionally, and one time I recorded it. I just thought it was so funny. It’s Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Recently they were showing it at a cinema and I discovered that it was the preferred movie of a friend of mine, and so we attended and just laughed repeatedly. It is a great piece of humor and all the actors in it are fantastic. The director Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – that wasn’t as effective. But Lubitsch's version is an exceptional farce, to be watched regularly.

A Priceless Lesson Gained Through a Co-Star

What’s the best lesson you learned 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 together. We were playing as scene partners and during the premiere I stumbled – I jumped ahead some dialogue in the script. I didn’t know of my error but I suddenly realised something wasn’t right. I remember glancing toward him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then our performance took off again and went really, really well. But I think the insight gained in that moment was, firstly, consistently rely on the individuals you’re working with. If you don’t know your place, if you turn around and look at the actors you’re with, you will find your correct position in some way. It’s such collaborative endeavor, performing live. And secondly, just to have a sense of fun regarding it. Sometimes when a mistake occurs, things actually spark off in a wonderfully positive way provided you are fully engaged then. It may become an unexpected boon when things go completely awry.

Heartening Exchanges with Fans

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

There isn't a single particular interaction but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I hear a lot of accounts about what Eowyn meant to them when they were younger … things that had happened in their lives and how much Eowyn signified for them and was some kind of help to them during those periods.

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

The most detailed inquiry concerns invariably regarding the stew that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Was the stew really that bad?” It’s become such a joke, the whole thing about the stew, and everyone wants to know the contents of the pot, and how was it made, and do you think her skills improved now, or do you believe she really is a poor chef? Fans seem, in my view, fascinated by the humour of that scene. And I go into great detail describing the components that constituted 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 make it look as unappetizing as possible.

A Cringeworthy Celebrity Meeting

What was your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I attended a pilates class and another participant on a mat exercising, and the instructor remarked, “Hello Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I attempted a lighthearted remark about, “oh, are you a journalist?” Because it’s an unusual name and often when someone’s a Miranda, they’re a journalist. I hadn't properly seeing who it was. And as she rose, it was Miranda Richardson. At that point, I didn’t know what to say. I was obliged to stay and do my class, and I felt so embarrassed. I wanted to say: “Goodness, I am aware of your work!” I think she’s so fabulous and I was just too starstruck to say anything.

The Origin of a Moniker

It’s been confidently claimed 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 once and for all?

Yes – I was christened for the Sydney suburb. My mother learned via broadcast that they were opening a shopping centre at that location, and she thought seemed a nice name.

Pandemonium on Location

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

While working in Brazil on Reaching for the Moon I experienced the least organized 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 unique. In Australia, you normally have a schedule and must arrive on set by a certain time. But this was sort of open ended – one would appear at one's convenience. It was a really different way of working for me. All aspects were all coming together at the final moment, and at times they wouldn’t know the next location or the methodology. And then you’d be in during a scene and wondering, “What caused that sound that just interrupted the scene? Ah, it was a crew member opening a bottle on set, because he’s making a party.” It turned out excellent, but wow, it’s a really different style of film-making.

A Secret Skill

What are you secretly good at?

I’ve always been good with numbers. I memorise numbers easier than I learn dialogue often, I simply have a numerically-oriented mind. So I think had I not pursued acting, I likely might have entered a field something to do with numbers, like mathematics or finance.

The Best Guidance Ever Received

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

During my time in high school, someone addressed us when we were graduating and they said, “don’t be afraid to fail” … an idea I consider is supremely valuable counsel, because you learn so much more from failure than you learn from triumph. With success, one rarely understand exactly how it happened. Failure, the lessons are abundant.