Australian actress
Miranda is a graduate of the prestigious Australian theatrical school NIDA, (the same facility which boasts such luminaries as Mel Gibson and Judy Davis ).
Daughter of prolific Australian actor Barry Otto.
Gave up studying a medical career to pursue acting.
Spent six months shooting her role as Eowyn for the Lord of the Rings and was required to learn sword fighting and horseback riding.
Took ballet lessons.
Was named after the character "Miranda" in William Shakespeare s "The Tempest".
Won the 2003 Australian Entertainment "Mo" Award for Best Actress in a Play for "A Dolls House."
Won the role of owyn in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and its follow-up The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King after Alison Doody refused the role so she could have a baby. Uma Thurman and Kate Winslet were then in competition for the part.
Is one of four "Lord of the Rings" stars to star, pre-"Rings," with Harrison Ford. She starred with Ford in What Lies Beneath . Ford also starred with John Rhys-Davies (Gimli) in Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade , and with Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn) in Witness , with Sean Bean (Boromir) in Patriot Games .
In the fight scenes from the "Lord of the Rings" movies, her costume (armor) was very heavy, weighing 8 to 10 kilos (22 lbs.).
(1 April 2005) Gave birth to her first child, a girl, named "Darcey", in Australia. Her husband, Peter OBrien , who was unable to attend the birth, watched via web cam from America.
Won Logie for Most Outstanding Actress In A Drama Series for the miniseries Through My Eyes (May 2005)
Was pregnant with daughter Darcey while filming War of the Worlds .
In 2003, she received a Helpmann Award Nomination for "Best Female Actor in a Play" for "A Dolls House".
Older sister of actress Gracie Otto.
Has a brother, Eddie.
I think you go through a period as a teenager of being quite cool and unaffected by things.
If there is a book that the script came from you have to read it, you have to see what you can get out of it: mood, back story and things that may not even be in the film. They kick off your imagination and broaden the character, I think.
