Miranda Otto Shares Insights on Her Career, Devoted Fans, and Unexpected Gifts.

During a revealing discussion, Miranda Otto delves on subjects as varied as her latest role as a regal sea creature to the invaluable wisdom learned through theatrical mistakes and meeting admirers.

If You Could Be a Sea Creature for a Day

Your latest character portrays Queen of the Cuttlefish in The Pout-Pout Fish; if you could be a fish for a day, which one would it be and why?

Straight away, the blue groper found at Clovelly beach – since it is like an institution, and individuals visit to see it. I just think it’s cool that a resident aquatic creature that folks genuinely go and see and discuss – it holds a unique status.

A Film Favorite to Return To

What film do you repeatedly watch, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this picture. During my childhood, it used to come on television every now and again, and once I recorded it. I found it was hilarious. It stars the legendary Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Recently they were playing it at the Ritz and I discovered that it was also the favourite film of an acquaintance, and so we went and simply chuckled repeatedly. It’s such masterful work of humor and the entire cast in it are superb. Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – which was not as effective. But the original film is a brilliant comedy, 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 at the time we were not together. We portrayed characters opposite each other and on opening night I stumbled – I skipped forward a few lines in the script. I was unaware of my error but I suddenly realised something wasn’t right. I recall glancing toward him, and he completely saved me, and then the scene took off again and proceeded splendidly. But I think the insight gained in that moment was, firstly, always trust the individuals you’re working with. If you don’t know where you are, by looking and toward the people sharing the stage with, you will find where you’re meant to be in some way. It’s such communal thing, acting on stage. And secondly, just to have a sense of fun regarding it. Sometimes when a mistake occurs, things can ignite in a wonderfully positive direction if you’re fully engaged in that moment. It may become a gift when things go absolutely the wrong way.

Heartening Interactions with Admirers

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

It’s not just one specific meeting but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, 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 signified for them and was a form of support to them during those periods.

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

The most specific question is always about the stew her character prepares for Aragorn. “Was the stew really that bad?” It’s become such a joke, the entire episode involving that dish, and all fans wish to know the contents of the stew, and its preparation method, and do you think her skills improved now, or do you think she really is a bad cook? People are, I think, fascinated by the humour of that scene. And I provide great detail listing the components that made up the concoction – because I remember the efforts made; such as adding pieces of colored thread to make it look like blood vessels in the meat. The crew employed extreme measures to make it look as bad as possible.

A Cringeworthy Celebrity Meeting

What’s been your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I attended a fitness session and another participant on a mat exercising, and the teacher said to me, “Oh, Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I attempted some joke about, “might you be a journalist?” Since Miranda is an unusual name and often when I meet another Miranda, they work in media. I wasn’t really identified her. And as she rose, it was Miranda Richardson. Then I didn’t know what to say. I was obliged to stay and do my class, and I experienced intense awkwardness. I wanted to say: “Oh my gosh, I am aware of your work!” I consider she’s so fabulous and I was simply too awestruck to utter a syllable.

The Source 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 I’ve read 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 mall at that location, and she thought sounded like a nice name.

Pandemonium on Set

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

While working in Brazil for the film Reaching for the Moon that was the least organized set I’ve ever worked on, and yet the final product emerged incredibly well. But the local crew operated in a distinct manner. Their concept of time there is unique. In Australia, you normally have a schedule and must arrive on set punctually. But this was sort of flexible – one would appear at one's convenience. It was a really different approach for me. The elements were all coming together at the very last minute, and sometimes the plan was unclear where they were shooting 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 caused that sound that just interrupted the scene? Ah, it was a crew member opening a bottle during filming, because he’s making a party.” The result was great, but wow, it’s a really different approach to film-making.

A Secret Talent

What are you secretly good at?

I’ve always been an aptitude for numbers. I memorise numbers easier than I memorise words a lot of the time, I’ve just got a numerically-oriented mind. So I believe had I not ended up in acting, I likely might have entered a field involving numbers, like mathematics or finance.

The Best Piece of Advice Ever Received

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

During my time in secondary school, a speaker came to speak as we were graduating and they said, “have no fear to fail” … which I think is the best piece of advice, since one gains so much more from failure than you learn from triumph. Success, you never really comprehends precisely why it happened. With failure, you learn abundant.