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

If You Could Be a Sea Creature for a Day

Your latest character portrays 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 Clovelly beach – since it is like an institution, and people go there specifically to spot it. It strikes me it’s cool that there’s a local fish that folks genuinely go and see and talk about – it’s a special fish.

A Cinematic Favorite to Revisit

Which movie do you repeatedly watch, and why?

The 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I love this film. When I was growing up, it used to come on the ABC occasionally, and one time I videotaped it. I found it was so funny. It stars Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Not long ago they were showing it at a cinema and it turned out that it was also the favourite film of an acquaintance, and so we went and just laughed and laughed. It is a masterful work of comedy and all the actors in it are superb. Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – that wasn’t as effective. But the original film is a brilliant comedy, worth viewing often.

A Priceless 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 alongside Peter O’Brien – now my spouse, but at the time we were not a couple. We were playing opposite each other and on opening night I tripped up – I skipped forward some dialogue in the script. I didn’t know what I’d done but I suddenly realised something wasn’t right. I recall glancing toward him, and he completely saved me, and then our performance took off again and proceeded splendidly. But I think the insight gained then was, first, always trust the people you’re working with. If you don’t know where you are, by looking and look at the people you’re with, you will find where you’re meant to be somehow. It’s such communal thing, performing live. And next, just to have a sense of fun regarding it. Sometimes when a mistake occurs, things actually spark off in a wonderfully positive way provided you are really present then. It can be an unexpected boon when things go absolutely awry.

Heartening Exchanges with Admirers

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

There isn't a single particular interaction but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I hear a lot of accounts about how that character meant to them when they were growing up … things that had happened in their lives and how much Eowyn meant to them and was some kind of help 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. “Did that stew taste really that bad?” It’s become a running gag, the entire episode involving that dish, and everyone wants to know what was in the pot, and its preparation method, and do you think her skills improved now, or do you think she really is a poor chef? Fans seem, I think, fascinated by the humour of that situation. And I provide great detail listing the ingredients that constituted the concoction – because I remember what they did; such as put bits of red cotton to make it look like bits of veins in the meat. They went to great detail to render it as bad as possible.

An Awkward Celebrity Meeting

What was your most embarrassing celebrity encounter?

I attended a pilates class and another participant lying down doing pilates, and the instructor remarked, “Oh, Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I attempted 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 as she rose, it was the actress Miranda Richardson. Then I didn’t know what to say. I still had to complete my class, and I experienced intense awkwardness. I wished to explain: “Goodness, I do know who you are!” I think her talent is immense and I was simply too awestruck to utter a syllable.

The Source of a Moniker

It’s been 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 settle the matter once and for all?

Indeed, I was christened for a district in Sydney. Mum heard on the radio that they were opening a mall at that location, and she thought 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 film emerged incredibly well. But they just work in a distinct manner. The sense of time there is unique. In Australia, you receive a schedule and you have to be on set punctually. But this was sort of flexible – 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 the next location or how we were going to do it. And then I would be in during a scene and wondering, “What caused that sound that disturbed the scene? Oh, it’s a crew member popping open some champagne on set, to start a party.” It turned out excellent, but goodness, it’s a really different style of film-making.

A Hidden Talent

What are you secretly good at?

I’ve always been an aptitude for numbers. I memorise numbers more readily than I learn dialogue often, I simply have a numerically-oriented mind. So I think if I hadn’t pursued acting, I probably would have worked in involving numbers, like math or accounting.

The Best Piece of Advice Given

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

When I was in high school, a speaker addressed us when we were graduating and they said, “don’t be afraid to fail” … which I think is the best piece of advice, since one gains so much more from setbacks than is gained from triumph. Success, one rarely understand exactly how it happened. Failure, you learn so much more.