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During a revealing conversation, 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

The most recent role is Queen of the Cuttlefish in The Pout-Pout Fish; if you could be a fish for a day, which one would it be and why?

Without hesitation, that particular fish residing near a specific shoreline – since it is a local landmark, and people go there specifically to spot it. It strikes me it’s cool that a resident aquatic creature that people actually seek out and discuss – it’s a special fish.

A Cinematic Favorite to Return To

What film do you repeatedly watch, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this film. When I was growing up, it would air on the ABC occasionally, and once I recorded it. I just thought it was so funny. It stars Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Not long ago they were playing 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 just laughed repeatedly. It is a masterful work of humor and all the actors in it are fantastic. Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – which was not successful. But Lubitsch's version is a brilliant comedy, worth viewing regularly.

The Best Lesson Learned From a Co-Star

What’s the best lesson you learned 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 opposite each other 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 our performance regained momentum and proceeded splendidly. But I think the insight gained then was, firstly, consistently rely on the people in your scene. When you lose where you are, if you turn around and toward the people you’re with, you will find your correct position in some way. It is a profoundly communal thing, acting on stage. And secondly, just to have a sense of fun regarding it. Sometimes when something goes wrong, things can ignite in a wonderfully positive way provided you are really present then. It can be an unexpected boon when things go absolutely the wrong way.

Memorable Interactions with Admirers

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

It’s not just one particular interaction but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I am told numerous stories about what Eowyn meant to them when they were younger … things that had happened in their lives and the extent to which that character 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 the stew her character prepares for Aragorn. “Did that stew taste really that bad?” It has evolved into a running gag, the entire episode about the stew, and all fans wish to know the contents of the pot, and its preparation method, and do you think she’s a better cook now, or do you think she really is a bad cook? People are, I think, obsessed with the comedy of that situation. And I go into great detail describing the ingredients that constituted the concoction – because I remember what they did; like they even put bits of colored thread to make it look like blood vessels in the meat. The crew employed great detail to render it as unappetizing as possible.

An Awkward Celebrity Encounter

What’s been your most embarrassing run-in with a famous person?

I attended a pilates class and another participant lying down doing pilates, and the teacher said to me, “Hello Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I made a lighthearted remark inquiring, “might you be a journalist?” Since Miranda is an unusual name 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 Miranda Richardson. Then I was at a loss for words. I was obliged to complete my class, and I felt intense awkwardness. I wished to explain: “Goodness, I am aware of your work!” I think she’s so fabulous and I was just too starstruck to say anything.

The Origin of a Name

It’s been confidently claimed that you were named after Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet you've mentioned you saying otherwise – can you settle the matter once and for all?

Yes – I was christened for a district in Sydney. Mum learned via broadcast that they were inaugurating a mall at that location, and she thought 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 for the film Reaching for the Moon I experienced the most chaotic set I’ve ever worked on, and yet the film turned out brilliantly. But the local crew operated in such a different way. The sense of time there is unique. Typically, you normally have a schedule and you have to be on set by a certain time. But this was sort of open ended – one would appear whenever you happen to be ready. It was a novel approach for me. All aspects were all coming together at the very last minute, and at times they wouldn’t know the next location or the methodology. And then I would be in the middle of a scene and wondering, “What was that noise that disturbed the scene? Oh, it’s a crew member opening some champagne on set, to start a party.” It turned out excellent, but wow, it’s a really different 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 a lot of the time, I simply have a numerically-oriented mind. So I think if I hadn’t ended up in acting, I probably would have entered a field involving numbers, like math or finance.

The Finest Piece of Advice Given

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

When I was in secondary school, a speaker came to speak as 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 setbacks than you learn from success. Success, one rarely understand precisely why it happened. Failure, you learn abundant.