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During a revealing interview, the acclaimed performer delves on topics ranging from her newest character as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the invaluable wisdom learned through onstage mishaps and meeting admirers.

Given the Chance to Become a Sea Creature 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?

Without hesitation, the blue groper residing near Clovelly beach – because it’s like an institution, and individuals visit specifically to spot it. I just think it’s cool that a resident aquatic creature that people actually seek out and discuss – it holds a unique status.

A Film Staple to Revisit

Which movie do you repeatedly watch, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this picture. During my childhood, it used to come on television occasionally, and one time I videotaped it. I found it was hilarious. It stars Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Recently they were showing it at a cinema and I discovered that it was also the favourite film of an acquaintance, and so we attended and simply chuckled and laughed. It’s such masterful work of comedy and the entire cast in it are superb. Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – that wasn’t as effective. But Lubitsch's version is a brilliant comedy, worth viewing regularly.

The Best Lesson Gained Through a Fellow Actor

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

Years ago I performed in A Doll’s House with Pete – now my spouse, but at the time we were not a couple. We were playing as scene partners and during the premiere I stumbled – I jumped ahead a few lines in the script. I didn’t know what I’d done but I abruptly sensed things were off. I remember glancing toward him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then the scene regained momentum and proceeded splendidly. However, I believe the insight gained then was, firstly, always trust the people you’re working with. If you don’t know where you are, by looking and look at the people sharing the stage with, you can rediscover your correct position in some way. It’s such communal thing, acting on stage. And next, to maintain a lighthearted attitude about it. Occasionally when something goes wrong, things can ignite in a wonderfully positive direction provided you are fully engaged in that moment. It may become a gift when things go absolutely awry.

Heartening Interactions with Admirers

Can you describe your most memorable encounter with a fan?

It’s not a single specific meeting but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I am told numerous accounts about how that character meant to them when they were younger … things that had happened in their lives and how much Eowyn meant to them and was a form of support to them in those times.

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

The most detailed inquiry concerns always about the stew her character prepares for Aragorn. “Did that stew taste really that bad?” It has evolved into a running gag, the whole thing about the stew, and everyone wants to know what was in the stew, and how was it made, and do you think she’s a better cook now, or do you believe she really is a poor chef? Fans seem, in my view, obsessed with the comedy of that situation. And I go into lengthy descriptions describing the components that constituted the concoction – as I recall the efforts made; such as adding pieces of red cotton to make it look like blood vessels in the meat. The crew employed extreme measures to render it as unappetizing as they could.

A Cringeworthy Celebrity Meeting

What was your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I was at a fitness session and there was a woman lying down exercising, and the teacher remarked, “Oh, Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I made 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 hadn't properly seeing who it was. And when she got up, it was the actress Miranda Richardson. Then I was at a loss for words. I still had to complete my class, and I felt intense awkwardness. I wished to explain: “Oh my gosh, I am aware of who you are!” I consider she’s so fabulous and I was simply too awestruck to say anything.

The Source of a Name

Articles have 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 clarify this definitively?

Indeed, I was named after the Sydney suburb. Mum heard on the radio that they were opening a shopping centre at that location, and the name sounded like a nice name.

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 I experienced the most chaotic set of my career, and yet the final product turned out incredibly well. But the local crew operated in such a different way. The sense of time there is really different. Typically, you normally have a schedule and you have to be on set by a certain time. But this was rather open ended – one would appear whenever you happen to be ready. It was a novel way of working for me. The elements were all coming together at the final moment, and at times 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? Ah, it was the producer opening some champagne during filming, because he’s making a party.” The result was excellent, but goodness, it’s a really different approach to film-making.

A Secret Skill

What are you secretly good at?

I naturally possess good with numbers. I memorise numbers easier than I memorise words a lot of the time, I simply have that kind of a brain. So I believe if I hadn’t pursued acting, I likely might have entered a field involving numbers, like math or finance.

The Best Guidance Given

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

During my time in high school, a speaker addressed us when we were graduating and stated, “have no fear to fail” … an idea I consider is supremely valuable counsel, because you learn so much more from setbacks than you learn from triumph. With success, you never really comprehends precisely why it happened. With failure, you learn abundant.