The actress Discusses Perspectives on Acting, Fandom, and Unexpected Gifts.

Through a thoughtful interview, the acclaimed performer delves on topics ranging from her latest role as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the profound lessons learned through onstage mishaps and meeting admirers.

Given the Chance to Become a Sea Creature for a Day

The most recent character portrays the monarch of the cuttlefish in The Pout-Pout Fish; if you could be a fish for a day, which one would it be and why?

Straight away, that particular fish residing near Clovelly beach – because it’s a local landmark, and people go there to see it. It strikes me as remarkable that there’s a local fish that folks genuinely seek out and discuss – it’s a special fish.

A Cinematic Favorite to Revisit

Which movie do you repeatedly watch, and why?

The 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I love this picture. During my growing up, it used to come on television occasionally, and once I videotaped it. I just thought it was so funny. It stars Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Recently they were showing it at a cinema and it turned out that it was the preferred movie of a friend of mine, and so we attended and just laughed repeatedly. It is a great piece 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 a brilliant comedy, worth viewing regularly.

The Best Lesson Learned From a Co-Star

What’s the best lesson you took away from someone a colleague?

I was doing A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – now my spouse, but back then we were not together. 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 of my error but I suddenly realised something wasn’t right. I recall looking at him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then the scene regained momentum and proceeded splendidly. However, I believe what I learned then was, firstly, always trust the people in your scene. If you don’t know your place, if you turn around and toward the actors you’re with, you can rediscover your correct position somehow. It is a profoundly collaborative endeavor, performing live. And next, to maintain a lighthearted attitude about it. Sometimes when a mistake occurs, things can ignite in a wonderfully positive way if you’re fully engaged then. It may become a gift when things go absolutely awry.

Heartening Interactions with Admirers

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

It’s not just one specific meeting but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I am told numerous accounts about what Eowyn impacted them when they were growing up … things that had happened in their lives and the extent to which Eowyn signified for them and was some kind of help to them in those times.

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

The most detailed question is invariably regarding the stew that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Was the stew really that bad?” It has evolved into such a joke, the whole thing involving that dish, and all fans wish to know what was in the pot, and how was it made, and do you think her skills improved now, or do you believe she really is a bad cook? People are, in my view, fascinated by the humour of that scene. And I go into lengthy descriptions listing the ingredients that made up the stew – because I remember what they did; such as adding pieces of red cotton to make it look like blood vessels in the meat. The crew employed extreme measures to make it look as bad as possible.

A Cringeworthy Celebrity Encounter

What’s been your most embarrassing celebrity encounter?

I was at a pilates class and there was a woman lying down exercising, and the instructor remarked, “Hello Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I made a lighthearted remark about, “might you be a journalist?” Because it’s an uncommon moniker and most of the time 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 stay and do my class, and I felt so embarrassed. I wanted to say: “Oh my gosh, I am aware of who you are!” I think she’s so fabulous and I was simply too awestruck to say anything.

The Source of a Moniker

Articles have repeatedly stated 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 once and for all?

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

Chaos on Set

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

When I was working in Brazil for the film Reaching for the Moon that was the least organized set I’ve ever worked on, and yet the final product emerged incredibly well. But the local crew operated in a distinct manner. Their concept of time there is unique. Typically, you normally have a schedule and must arrive on set punctually. But this was sort of open ended – one would appear at one's convenience. It was a novel way of working for me. The elements were being assembled at the very last minute, and at times they wouldn’t know where they were shooting the next day the methodology. And then I would be in during a scene and wondering, “What caused that sound that just interrupted the scene? Ah, it was a crew member popping open a bottle on set, to start a party.” It turned out excellent, but wow, it’s a distinct approach to film-making.

A Hidden Skill

Do you have a secretly good at?

I naturally possess an aptitude for numbers. I retain numbers easier than I memorise words often, I simply have a numerically-oriented mind. So I believe if I hadn’t ended up in acting, I likely might have worked in something to do with numbers, like mathematics or finance.

The Best Piece of Advice Given

What is the greatest piece of advice you have ever received?

During my time in secondary 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, because you learn far more from failure than is gained from triumph. With success, you never really understand precisely why it happened. Failure, the lessons are so much more.