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Through a thoughtful conversation, the acclaimed performer reflects on subjects as varied as her newest character as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the profound lessons learned through onstage mishaps and fan interactions.

Given the Chance to Become a Sea Creature for a Day

Your latest role is the monarch 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, the blue groper found at Clovelly beach – because it’s like an institution, and individuals visit specifically to spot it. It strikes me it’s cool that there’s a local fish that people actually go and see and discuss – it’s a special fish.

A Cinematic Favorite to Return To

Which movie 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 television every now and again, and one time I videotaped it. I found it was hilarious. It stars the legendary Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Recently they were showing it at the Ritz and it turned out that it was also the favourite film of a friend of mine, and so we went and simply chuckled repeatedly. It is a great piece of comedy and the entire cast in it are fantastic. The director Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – that wasn’t successful. But the original film is an exceptional farce, worth viewing regularly.

A Priceless Insight Gained Through a Co-Star

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

Years ago I performed in A Doll’s House with Pete – my husband now, but back then we were not together. We were playing as scene partners and on opening night I tripped up – I jumped ahead a few lines in the script. I didn’t know what I’d done but I suddenly realised something wasn’t right. I recall looking at him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then our performance regained momentum and proceeded splendidly. However, I believe the insight gained in that moment was, firstly, consistently rely on the people you’re working with. When you lose where you are, if you turn around and look at the actors you’re with, you will find your correct position in some way. It is a profoundly communal thing, acting on stage. And next, just to have a lighthearted attitude about it. Occasionally when something goes wrong, things actually spark off in a wonderfully positive direction provided you are really present in that moment. It can be a gift when things go absolutely the wrong way.

Heartening Interactions with Admirers

Can you describe your most memorable interaction with a fan?

There isn't a single particular interaction but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I hear a lot of accounts about what Eowyn impacted them when they were younger … things that had happened in their lives and how much Eowyn meant to them and was some kind of help to them during those periods.

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

The most specific inquiry concerns always about that infamous meal her character prepares for Aragorn. “Did that stew taste really that bad?” It has evolved into a running gag, the entire episode involving that dish, and everyone wants to know the contents of the stew, and its preparation method, and do you think she’s a better cook now, or do you believe she really is a poor chef? People are, in my view, obsessed with the humour of that situation. And I go into great detail describing the components that made up the stew – as I recall the efforts made; like they even adding pieces of colored thread to make it look like bits of veins in the meat. They went to extreme measures to make it look as bad as they could.

An Awkward Star Encounter

What’s been your most embarrassing celebrity encounter?

I was at a pilates class and there was a woman on a mat exercising, and the teacher remarked, “Oh, Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I attempted some joke about, “might you be a journalist?” Because it’s an unusual name and often 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 still had to stay and do my class, and I experienced intense awkwardness. I wished to explain: “Goodness, I am aware of your work!” I consider she’s so fabulous and I was just too starstruck to say anything.

The Source of a Name

Articles have confidently claimed that you were given your name from Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet I’ve read you saying otherwise – can you clarify this definitively?

Yes – I was named after a district in Sydney. Mum heard on the radio that they were opening a mall at that location, and the name sounded like a pleasant choice.

Pandemonium 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 most chaotic set of my career, and yet the film emerged brilliantly. But they just work in such a different way. The sense of time there is unique. In Australia, you receive a call sheet and must arrive on set by a certain time. But this was rather flexible – one would appear whenever you happen to be ready. It was a novel approach for me. The elements 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 you’d be in the middle of a scene and be like, “What caused that sound that disturbed the scene? Ah, it was the producer opening a bottle during filming, to start a party.” It turned out great, but goodness, it’s a really different approach to film-making.

A Hidden Skill

What are you secretly good at?

I’ve always been an aptitude for numbers. I retain numbers more readily than I memorise words often, I’ve just got that kind of a brain. So I think if I hadn’t ended up in acting, I likely might have entered a field involving numbers, like mathematics or accounting.

The Finest Piece of Advice Given

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

When I was in high school, a speaker came to speak when we were graduating and stated, “have no fear to fail” … an idea I consider is the best piece of advice, since one gains so much more from failure than is gained from success. Success, one rarely comprehends exactly how it happened. Failure, the lessons are so much more.