🔗 Share this article

During a revealing conversation, Miranda Otto delves on topics ranging from her newest character as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the profound lessons learned through onstage mishaps and meeting admirers.

Given the Chance to Become a Fish for a Day

Your latest character portrays Queen 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, that particular fish residing near a specific shoreline – since it is like an institution, and people go there to see it. I just think as remarkable that there’s a local fish that folks genuinely go and see and talk about – it’s a special fish.

A Film Staple to Revisit

Which movie do you always return to, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I love this film. During my childhood, it used to come on the ABC occasionally, and one time I recorded it. I just thought 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 also the favourite film of a friend of mine, and so we went and simply chuckled and laughed. It is a great piece of humor and the entire cast in it are superb. The director Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – which was not successful. But Lubitsch's version is a brilliant comedy, worth viewing regularly.

A Priceless Lesson Gained Through a Co-Star

What’s the best lesson you took away from someone you’ve worked with?

I was doing A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – my husband now, but at the time we were not a couple. We were playing opposite each other and during the premiere I stumbled – I skipped forward a few lines in the script. I was unaware what I’d done but I suddenly realised things were off. I remember looking at him, and he completely saved me, and then our performance regained momentum and proceeded splendidly. But I think the insight gained in that moment was, first, consistently rely on the individuals in your scene. If you don’t know your place, 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, performing live. And secondly, to maintain a lighthearted attitude about it. Occasionally when something goes wrong, things actually spark off in a wonderfully positive direction if you’re really present in that moment. It can be an unexpected boon when things go completely awry.

Heartening Interactions with Fans

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

There isn't just one particular interaction but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I am told numerous accounts about how that character impacted them when they were younger … things that had happened in their lives and the extent to which that character signified for them and was some kind of help 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 that infamous meal that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Was the stew as terrible as it looked?” It has evolved into such a joke, the entire episode about the stew, and everyone wants to know the contents of the pot, and how was it made, and do you think her skills improved now, or do you think she really is a poor chef? Fans seem, I think, fascinated by the humour of that scene. And I provide great detail listing the components that constituted the concoction – as I recall the efforts made; like they even adding pieces of colored thread to make it look like blood vessels in the meat. The crew employed great detail to render it as bad as they could.

A Cringeworthy Celebrity Encounter

What was your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I attended a pilates class and there was a woman lying down doing pilates, and the teacher remarked, “Oh, Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I made some joke inquiring, “might you be a journalist?” Because it’s an uncommon moniker and most of the time when I meet another Miranda, they work in media. I wasn’t really seeing who it was. And when she got up, it was 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 experienced intense awkwardness. I wished to explain: “Oh my gosh, I do know who you are!” I think her talent is immense and I was simply too awestruck to say anything.

The Origin 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 you've mentioned stating otherwise – can you settle the matter once and for all?

Yes – I was christened for a district in Sydney. Mum heard on the radio that they were inaugurating a shopping centre at that location, and she thought sounded like a pleasant choice.

Chaos on Location

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

When I was working in Brazil on Reaching for the Moon that was the least organized set of my career, and yet the film turned out incredibly well. But the local crew operated in such a different way. The sense of time there is really different. Typically, you receive a schedule 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 really different way of working for me. The elements were being assembled at the very last minute, and at times the plan was unclear the next location or the methodology. And then you’d be in during a scene and be like, “What was that noise that disturbed the scene? Ah, it was a crew member opening some champagne during filming, to start a party.” The result was excellent, but wow, it’s a really different style of film-making.

A Hidden Talent

What are you secretly good at?

I naturally possess good with numbers. I memorise numbers more readily than I learn dialogue often, I’ve just got that kind of a brain. So I believe had I not pursued acting, I probably would have entered a field something to do with numbers, like math or accounting.

The Best Guidance Ever Received

What is the greatest 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 supremely valuable counsel, because you learn so much more from setbacks than is gained from success. With success, you never really comprehends precisely why it happened. With failure, the lessons are so much more.