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During a revealing interview, Miranda Otto delves on subjects as varied as her latest role as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the invaluable wisdom learned through onstage mishaps and meeting admirers.

If You Could Be a Sea Creature for a Day

The most recent role is Queen of the Cuttlefish in The Pout-Pout Fish; if you could be a fish for a day, which one would you choose and why?

Without hesitation, the blue groper found at Clovelly beach – because it’s like an institution, and people go there specifically to spot it. I just think it’s cool that there’s a local fish that people actually seek out and discuss – it’s a special fish.

A Cinematic Favorite to Revisit

What film do you repeatedly watch, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this film. When I was growing up, it would air on television occasionally, and one time I videotaped it. I just thought it was hilarious. It stars the legendary Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Not long ago 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 and laughed. It’s such great piece of humor and the entire cast in it are fantastic. The director Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – that wasn’t as effective. But Lubitsch's version is an exceptional farce, to be watched often.

The Best Lesson Gained Through a Fellow Actor

What is the most valuable lesson you learned from someone you’ve worked with?

Years ago I performed in A Doll’s House with Pete – now my spouse, but back then we were not together. We portrayed characters as scene partners and on opening night I tripped up – I skipped forward some dialogue in the script. I didn’t know what I’d done but I suddenly realised things were off. I recall looking at him, and he completely saved me, and then the scene regained momentum and went really, really well. However, I believe the insight gained in that moment was, firstly, consistently rely on the people in your scene. If you don’t know your place, if you turn around and look at the people sharing the stage with, you can rediscover your correct position somehow. It is a profoundly communal thing, performing live. And next, to maintain a sense of fun regarding it. Sometimes when a mistake occurs, things can ignite in a really great way if you’re really present in that moment. It may become an unexpected boon when things go completely the wrong way.

Memorable Interactions with Fans

Can you describe your most memorable interaction with a fan?

There isn't just one specific meeting but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I am told numerous stories about how that character impacted them when they were younger … things that had happened in their lives and how much Eowyn meant to them and was a form of support to them during those periods.

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

The most detailed question is invariably regarding the stew her character prepares for Aragorn. “Did that stew taste as terrible as it looked?” It’s become a running gag, the whole thing about the stew, and everyone wants to know what was in the pot, and how was it made, and in your opinion her skills improved now, or do you believe she really is a bad cook? People are, in my view, fascinated by the comedy of that situation. And I go into lengthy descriptions describing the components that made up the concoction – because I remember the efforts made; like they even put bits of red cotton to make it look like bits of veins in the meat. The crew employed great detail to render it as unappetizing as possible.

A Cringeworthy Celebrity Meeting

What was your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I was at a fitness session and there was a woman on a mat exercising, and the teacher remarked, “Hello Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I attempted a lighthearted remark inquiring, “might you be a journalist?” Since Miranda is an unusual name 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 felt so embarrassed. I wanted to say: “Oh my gosh, I do know who you are!” I consider she’s so fabulous and I was just too starstruck to utter a syllable.

The Origin of a Name

It’s been repeatedly stated that you were named after Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet you've mentioned you saying otherwise – can you settle the matter definitively?

Yes – I was named after the Sydney suburb. My mother heard on the radio that they were inaugurating a mall at that location, and the name sounded like 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 that was the most chaotic set I’ve ever worked on, and yet the film emerged brilliantly. But they just work in such a different way. Their concept of time there is unique. Typically, you normally have a call sheet and must arrive on set punctually. But this was sort of open ended – one would appear at one's convenience. It was a novel approach for me. The elements were all coming together at the final moment, and at times the plan was unclear 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 disturbed the scene? Ah, it was the producer opening some champagne on set, to start a party.” The result was excellent, but goodness, it’s a really different style of film-making.

A Hidden Skill

What are you secretly good at?

I’ve always been good with numbers. I memorise numbers more readily than I memorise words a lot of the time, I simply have that kind of a brain. So I believe if I hadn’t ended up in acting, I probably would have entered a field something to do with numbers, like mathematics or accounting.

The Best Piece of Advice Ever Received

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

During my time in secondary school, someone addressed us 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 success. With success, you never really understand exactly how it happened. Failure, you learn abundant.