Miranda Otto Discusses Perspectives on Her Career, Fandom, and Unexpected Lessons.

During a revealing interview, Miranda Otto reflects on subjects as varied as her latest role as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the invaluable wisdom gleaned from theatrical mistakes and fan interactions.

Given the Chance to Become 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?

Straight away, that particular fish residing near Clovelly beach – since it is a local landmark, and people go there specifically to spot it. It strikes me it’s cool that there’s a local fish that folks genuinely seek out and discuss – it’s a special fish.

A Cinematic Staple to Revisit

Which movie do you always return to, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I love this picture. During my childhood, it used to come on television every now and again, and one time I recorded it. I found it was hilarious. It’s Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Not long ago they were playing it at a cinema and I discovered that it was the preferred movie of an acquaintance, and so we attended and simply chuckled and laughed. It’s such masterful work of humor and all the actors in it are superb. Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – that wasn’t successful. But the original film is an exceptional farce, worth viewing often.

The Best Lesson Gained Through a Fellow Actor

What is the most valuable lesson you took away from someone a colleague?

I was doing A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – now my spouse, but back then we were not a couple. We were playing as scene partners and during the premiere I tripped up – I jumped ahead a few lines in the script. I was unaware 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. However, I believe what I learned in that moment was, first, consistently rely on the people in your scene. When you lose your place, if you turn around and toward the people sharing the stage with, you will find where you’re meant to be somehow. It’s such communal thing, acting on stage. And secondly, to maintain a sense of fun about it. Sometimes when something goes wrong, things actually spark off in a really great way if you’re fully engaged in that moment. It may become an unexpected boon when things go completely awry.

Memorable Exchanges with Admirers

Can you describe your most memorable interaction with a fan?

It’s not a single specific meeting but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I hear a lot of accounts about what Eowyn impacted them when they were younger … events that occurred in their lives and the extent to which Eowyn signified for them and was some kind of help to them during those periods.

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

The most specific question is invariably regarding that infamous meal that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Was the stew as terrible as it looked?” It has evolved into such a joke, the whole thing about the stew, and all fans wish to know the contents of the stew, and how was it made, and do you think her skills improved now, or do you think she really is a bad cook? Fans seem, I think, obsessed with the humour of that scene. And I go into great detail listing the ingredients that made up the stew – as I recall the efforts made; like they even adding pieces of red cotton to simulate the appearance like blood vessels in the meat. They went to extreme measures to make it look as unappetizing as possible.

An Awkward Celebrity Encounter

What was your most embarrassing celebrity encounter?

I attended a fitness session and there was a woman lying down exercising, and the teacher remarked, “Oh, Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I attempted some joke inquiring, “oh, are you a journalist?” Because it’s an unusual name and often when I meet another Miranda, they’re a journalist. I wasn’t really seeing who it was. And when she got up, 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 experienced intense awkwardness. I wished to explain: “Oh my gosh, I do know who you are!” I consider she’s so fabulous and I was simply too awestruck to utter a syllable.

The Source of a Name

It’s been confidently claimed that you were named after Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet I’ve read you saying otherwise – can you clarify this once and for all?

Indeed, I was christened for a district in Sydney. Mum learned via broadcast that they were inaugurating a mall at Miranda, and the name seemed a nice name.

Pandemonium on Location

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

When I was working in Brazil for the film Reaching for the Moon I experienced the least organized set of my career, 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 receive a schedule and must arrive on set by a certain time. But this was sort of flexible – one would appear at one's convenience. It was a really different way of working for me. The elements were being assembled at the very last minute, and sometimes the plan was unclear where they were shooting or the methodology. And then I would be in the middle of a scene and wondering, “What was that noise that disturbed the scene? Oh, it’s a crew member popping open some champagne during filming, because he’s making a party.” The result was great, but goodness, it’s a distinct approach to film-making.

A Secret Talent

What are you secretly good at?

I naturally possess 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 think if I hadn’t ended up in acting, I likely might have entered a field involving numbers, like math or accounting.

The Best Guidance Ever Received

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

During my time in high school, someone came to speak when we were graduating and they said, “have no fear to fail” … an idea I consider is supremely valuable counsel, because you learn far more from failure than is gained from success. Success, you never really comprehends exactly how it happened. With failure, the lessons are so much more.