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Through a thoughtful interview, the acclaimed performer delves on topics ranging from her latest role as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the invaluable wisdom learned through theatrical mistakes and meeting admirers.

Given the Chance to Become a Fish for a Day

Your latest role is the monarch 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, that particular fish found at a specific shoreline – since it is a local landmark, and people go there specifically to spot it. It strikes me as remarkable that there’s a local fish that people actually seek out and discuss – it’s a special fish.

A Cinematic Favorite to Revisit

What film do you repeatedly watch, and why?

The 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I love this film. During my growing up, it would air on television occasionally, and one time I recorded it. I just thought it was so funny. It’s Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Recently they were playing it at a cinema and it turned out that it was the preferred movie of an acquaintance, and so we went and simply chuckled and laughed. It’s such masterful work of humor and all the actors in it are fantastic. The director Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – that wasn’t as effective. But the original film is an exceptional farce, worth viewing regularly.

The Best Insight Learned From 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 back then we were not a couple. We portrayed characters as scene partners and during the premiere I stumbled – I skipped forward a few lines in the script. I didn’t know of my error but I abruptly sensed something wasn’t right. I recall looking at him, and he completely saved me, and then our performance took off again and went really, really well. But I think the insight gained then was, firstly, consistently rely on the individuals you’re working with. When you lose where you are, if you turn around and look at the actors sharing the stage with, you can rediscover your correct position in some way. It’s such communal thing, acting on stage. And secondly, just to have a sense of fun regarding it. Occasionally when something goes wrong, things can ignite in a really great way provided you are fully engaged in that moment. It may become a gift when things go completely awry.

Heartening Exchanges with Fans

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

There isn't a single particular interaction but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I hear a lot of accounts about how that character meant to them when they were younger … events that occurred in their lives and how much Eowyn signified for 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 specific question is invariably regarding that infamous meal that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Was the stew really that bad?” It’s become such a joke, the entire episode about the stew, and all fans wish to know what was in the pot, and its preparation method, and in your opinion her skills improved now, or do you think she really is a poor chef? People are, I think, fascinated by the humour of that situation. And I go into lengthy descriptions listing the components that constituted the concoction – because I remember the efforts made; like they even adding pieces of red cotton to simulate the appearance like bits of veins in the meat. The crew employed great detail to render it as unappetizing as they could.

A Cringeworthy Celebrity Encounter

What’s been your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I attended a fitness session and there was a woman on a mat doing pilates, and the teacher said to me, “Oh, Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I attempted 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 hadn't properly seeing who it was. And as she rose, it was 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 Source of a Moniker

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

Indeed, I was named after the Sydney suburb. My mother learned via broadcast that they were inaugurating a mall at that location, and she thought 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 on Reaching for the Moon I experienced the most chaotic set of my career, and yet the final product emerged incredibly well. But they just work in such a different way. The sense of time there is really different. In Australia, you receive a call sheet and you have to be on set punctually. But this was sort of flexible – you come on set at one's convenience. It was a novel approach for me. All aspects were being assembled at the very last minute, and sometimes the plan was unclear the next location or how we were going to do it. And then I would be in during a scene and be like, “What caused that sound that just interrupted the scene? Oh, it’s a crew member opening a bottle during filming, because he’s making a party.” It turned out excellent, but goodness, it’s a distinct style of film-making.

A Hidden Skill

Do you have a secretly good at?

I naturally possess an aptitude for numbers. I memorise numbers more readily than I memorise words a lot of the time, I’ve just got a numerically-oriented mind. So I believe had I not 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?

When I was in high school, a speaker 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 so much more from failure than is gained from triumph. Success, you never really comprehends exactly how it happened. With failure, the lessons are abundant.