Miranda Otto Discusses Insights on Acting, Fandom, and Life's Gifts.

During a revealing conversation, the acclaimed performer reflects on subjects as varied as her latest role as a regal sea creature to the profound lessons learned through theatrical mistakes and meeting admirers.

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 you choose and why?

Without hesitation, that particular fish residing near a specific shoreline – because it’s like an institution, and individuals visit specifically to spot it. I just think it’s cool that a resident aquatic creature that folks genuinely go and see and talk about – it’s a special fish.

A Film Favorite to Revisit

What film do you always return to, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I love this picture. When I was childhood, it would air on television every now and again, and once I recorded it. I just thought it was hilarious. It’s the legendary Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Recently they were playing it at the Ritz and it turned out that it was also the favourite film of a friend of mine, and so we attended and just laughed and laughed. It is a great piece of comedy 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 a brilliant comedy, to be watched often.

A Priceless Lesson Gained Through a Fellow Actor

What’s the best lesson you learned from someone a colleague?

Years ago I performed in A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – now my spouse, but back then we were not together. We portrayed characters opposite each other and on opening night I stumbled – I skipped forward some dialogue in the script. I didn’t know what I’d done but I abruptly sensed something wasn’t right. I recall glancing toward him, and he completely saved me, and then the scene regained momentum and proceeded splendidly. However, I believe the insight gained then was, first, consistently rely on the people in your scene. If you don’t know your place, by looking and toward the people you’re with, you will find your correct position somehow. It’s such collaborative endeavor, performing live. And secondly, just to have a sense of fun regarding it. Sometimes when something goes wrong, things actually spark off in a really great way provided you are really present then. It may become a gift when things go absolutely awry.

Memorable Interactions with Admirers

Can you describe your most memorable interaction with a fan?

It’s not just one particular interaction but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I am told numerous accounts about what Eowyn impacted them when they were younger … things that had happened in their lives and how much that character signified for them and was a form of support to them during those periods.

What do you get asked most frequently by Lord of the Rings fans?

The most specific question is always about the stew that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Did that stew taste as terrible as it looked?” It’s become a running gag, the whole thing involving that dish, and everyone wants to know what was in the stew, and how was it made, and do you think she’s a better cook now, or do you believe she really is a bad cook? Fans seem, in my view, obsessed with the comedy of that situation. And I go into great detail listing the components that constituted the concoction – because I remember the efforts made; like they even put bits 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 they could.

An Awkward Star Meeting

What was your most embarrassing celebrity encounter?

I attended a pilates class and another participant on a mat exercising, and the teacher said to me, “Oh, Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I attempted a lighthearted remark about, “might you be 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. At that point, I didn’t know words. I still had to stay and do my class, and I felt so embarrassed. I wished to explain: “Oh my gosh, I am aware of who you are!” I think her talent is immense and I was simply too awestruck to utter a syllable.

The Origin of a Name

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 stating otherwise – can you clarify this definitively?

Indeed, I was christened for a district in Sydney. My mother learned via broadcast that they were opening a shopping centre at Miranda, and the name sounded like a pleasant choice.

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 most chaotic set I’ve ever worked on, and yet the film emerged incredibly well. But they just work in such a different way. The sense of time there is really different. Typically, you receive a schedule and must arrive on set punctually. But this was rather flexible – one would appear whenever you happen to be ready. It was a really different approach for me. All aspects were being assembled at the final moment, and sometimes they wouldn’t know the next location the next day how we were going to do it. And then I would be in the middle of a scene and be like, “What was that noise that just interrupted the scene? Oh, it’s the producer popping open a bottle during filming, to start 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 naturally possess an aptitude for numbers. I memorise numbers more readily than I memorise words a lot of the time, I’ve just got a numerically-oriented mind. So I believe if I hadn’t ended up in acting, I likely might have worked in involving numbers, like mathematics or finance.

The Finest Piece of Advice Ever Received

What’s the best 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 the best piece of advice, since one gains far more from setbacks than is gained from triumph. Success, one rarely understand precisely why it happened. With failure, you learn abundant.