🔗 Share this article

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 theatrical mistakes and fan interactions.

Given the Chance to Become a Fish for a Day

Your latest 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, the blue groper residing near a specific shoreline – because it’s like an institution, and individuals visit to see it. I just think as remarkable that there’s a local fish that folks genuinely seek out and talk about – it’s a special fish.

A Cinematic 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 film. When I was childhood, it would air on the ABC occasionally, and one time I videotaped it. I just thought it was hilarious. It’s the legendary Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Not long ago they were playing it at the Ritz and it turned out that it was the preferred movie of an acquaintance, and so we attended and simply chuckled repeatedly. It’s such masterful work of comedy 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 an exceptional farce, worth viewing regularly.

The Best Lesson Learned From a Co-Star

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

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 a few lines in the script. I was unaware of my error but I abruptly sensed something wasn’t right. I recall glancing toward him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then the scene took off again and proceeded splendidly. However, I believe the insight gained in that moment was, firstly, always trust the people in your scene. When you lose your place, by looking and look at the actors you’re with, you will find where you’re meant to be in some way. It is a profoundly communal thing, acting on stage. And next, to maintain a sense of fun regarding it. Occasionally when a mistake occurs, things can ignite in a really great way provided you are fully engaged in that moment. It can be an unexpected boon when things go absolutely the wrong way.

Heartening Interactions with Admirers

Can you describe your most touching encounter with a fan?

It’s not just one specific meeting but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I hear a lot of accounts about how that character meant to them when they were growing up … things that had happened in their lives and how much that character meant to them and was a form of support to them in those times.

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

The most detailed question is invariably regarding the stew that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Did that stew taste really that bad?” It has evolved into a running gag, the entire episode about the stew, and all fans wish to know the contents of the stew, and its preparation method, and in your opinion her skills improved now, or do you believe she really is a poor chef? Fans seem, I think, obsessed with the comedy of that situation. And I provide great detail describing the ingredients that constituted the stew – because I remember the efforts made; such as adding pieces of red cotton to simulate the appearance like blood vessels in the meat. They went to great detail to make it look as unappetizing as possible.

A Cringeworthy Celebrity Meeting

What’s been your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I was at a pilates class and there was a woman on a mat exercising, and the teacher said to me, “Oh, Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I made a lighthearted remark about, “might you be a journalist?” Because it’s an unusual name and often 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 was at a loss for what to say. I still had to complete 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 just too starstruck to say anything.

The Origin of a Name

It’s been confidently claimed that you were given your name from Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet you've mentioned stating otherwise – can you settle the matter 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.

Chaos 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 that was the least organized set I’ve ever worked on, and yet the final product turned out brilliantly. But they just work in such a different way. Their concept of time there is really different. In Australia, you normally have a schedule and you have to be on set by a certain time. But this was rather open ended – you come on set at one's convenience. It was a really different approach for me. All aspects were all coming together at the very last minute, and at times the plan was unclear where they were shooting the next day the methodology. And then you’d be in the middle of a scene and be like, “What was that noise that disturbed the scene? Ah, it was a crew member popping open a bottle during filming, to start a party.” It turned out excellent, but wow, it’s a distinct approach to film-making.

A Hidden Skill

What are you secretly good at?

I naturally possess an aptitude for numbers. I memorise numbers more readily than I memorise words often, I simply have a numerically-oriented mind. So I think had I not ended up in acting, I likely might have worked in involving numbers, like mathematics or finance.

The Best Guidance Given

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

When I was in high 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 far more from setbacks than you learn from success. With success, you never really understand precisely why it happened. Failure, the lessons are abundant.