Miranda Otto Discusses Insights on Her Career, Fandom, and Unexpected Gifts.

In a candid conversation, Miranda Otto delves on topics ranging from her newest character as a regal sea creature to the invaluable wisdom gleaned from onstage mishaps and fan interactions.

If You Could Be a Fish 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?

Straight away, the blue groper residing near a specific shoreline – since it is a local landmark, and people go there to see it. I just think it’s cool that a resident aquatic creature that folks genuinely seek out and talk about – it’s a special fish.

A Film Staple to Revisit

Which movie do you repeatedly watch, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this picture. During my growing up, it would air on television occasionally, and one time I recorded it. I found it was hilarious. It stars Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Not long ago they were showing it at a cinema and I discovered that it was the preferred movie of an acquaintance, and so we went and simply chuckled and laughed. It is a masterful work of comedy and all the actors in it are superb. The director Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – which was not successful. But the original film is a brilliant comedy, worth viewing often.

The Best Lesson Gained Through a Co-Star

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

I was doing A Doll’s House with Pete – my husband now, but at the time we were not together. We portrayed characters opposite each other and on opening night I tripped up – I skipped forward some dialogue in the script. I was unaware of my error but I abruptly sensed something wasn’t right. I remember glancing toward him, and he completely saved me, and then the scene took off again and proceeded splendidly. However, I believe what I learned in that moment was, firstly, consistently rely on the people you’re working with. If you don’t know your place, by looking and look at the people sharing the stage with, you will find where you’re meant to be somehow. It’s such collaborative endeavor, performing live. And next, to maintain a lighthearted attitude regarding it. Sometimes when a mistake occurs, things actually spark off in a really great way if you’re fully engaged then. It can be a gift when things go completely awry.

Memorable Exchanges with Fans

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

There isn't just one particular interaction but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I am told numerous accounts about how that character impacted them when they were growing up … events that occurred in their lives and how much Eowyn signified for them and was some kind of help to them during those periods.

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

The most detailed inquiry concerns always about that infamous meal her character prepares for Aragorn. “Did that stew taste as terrible as it looked?” It has evolved into such a joke, the whole thing about the stew, and everyone wants to know what was in the stew, and its preparation method, and do you think her skills improved now, or do you believe she really is a bad cook? Fans seem, I think, obsessed with the comedy of that situation. And I go into great detail describing the ingredients that made up the concoction – because I remember what they did; such as put bits of red cotton to make it look like blood vessels in the meat. They went to great detail to make it look as unappetizing as they could.

An Awkward Celebrity Meeting

What’s been your most cringeworthy run-in with a famous person?

I attended a fitness session and there was a woman lying down doing pilates, and the instructor remarked, “Oh, Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I attempted some joke inquiring, “oh, are you a journalist?” Because it’s an unusual name and most of the time when someone’s a Miranda, they’re a journalist. I wasn’t really identified her. And when she got up, it was the actress Miranda Richardson. At that point, I didn’t know what to say. I still had 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 Moniker

Articles have confidently claimed that you were named after Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet I’ve read stating otherwise – can you settle the matter once and for all?

Indeed, I was christened for the Sydney suburb. Mum heard on the radio that they were opening a mall at Miranda, and the name sounded like a nice name.

Pandemonium on Set

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

While working in Brazil for the film Reaching for the Moon I experienced the most chaotic set I’ve ever worked on, and yet the final product emerged incredibly well. But the local crew operated in such a different way. The sense of time there is really different. In Australia, you normally have a call sheet and you have to be on set by a certain time. But this was sort of flexible – you come on set whenever you happen to be ready. It was a novel way of working 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 you’d be in during a scene and wondering, “What caused that sound that disturbed the scene? Ah, it was the producer popping open a bottle on set, because he’s making a party.” The result was excellent, but goodness, it’s a really different approach to film-making.

A Hidden Skill

Do you have a secretly good at?

I’ve always been good with numbers. I retain numbers easier than I learn dialogue a lot of the time, I simply have that kind of a brain. So I believe if I hadn’t pursued acting, I probably would have worked in involving numbers, like mathematics or accounting.

The Finest Guidance Given

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 so much more from failure than is gained from success. Success, you never really comprehends exactly how it happened. Failure, the lessons are so much more.