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During a revealing discussion, the acclaimed performer reflects on topics ranging from her latest role as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the profound lessons learned through theatrical mistakes and fan interactions.

If You Could Be a Fish for a Day

Your latest character portrays Queen of the Cuttlefish in The Pout-Pout Fish; supposing you had the opportunity to be a fish for a day, which one would it be and why?

Straight away, that particular fish found at Clovelly beach – since it is a local landmark, and people go there to see it. It strikes me as remarkable that there’s a local fish that people actually go and see and discuss – it’s a special fish.

A Cinematic Staple to Return To

Which movie do you always return to, and why?

The 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this film. When I was growing up, it used to come on television occasionally, and one time I recorded it. I found it was so funny. It’s Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Recently they were showing it at a cinema and it turned out that it was also the favourite film of an acquaintance, and so we attended and simply chuckled and laughed. It’s such great piece of humor and all the actors in it are fantastic. Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – which was not successful. But the original film is an exceptional farce, worth viewing regularly.

The Best Lesson 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 alongside Peter O’Brien – my husband now, but at the time we were not a couple. We portrayed characters as scene partners and during the premiere I stumbled – I skipped forward some dialogue in the script. I was unaware of my error but I abruptly sensed something wasn’t right. I remember looking at him, and he completely saved me, and then our performance regained momentum and went really, really well. But I think what I learned in that moment was, first, consistently rely on the individuals in your scene. When you lose your place, if you turn around and look at the actors you’re with, you can rediscover your correct position somehow. It’s such collaborative endeavor, performing live. And next, to maintain a sense of fun about it. Sometimes when something goes wrong, things can ignite in a wonderfully positive way if you’re really present in that moment. It may become a gift when things go absolutely the wrong way.

Memorable Interactions with Fans

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

There isn't just one particular interaction but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I hear a lot of stories about what Eowyn meant to them when they were younger … events that occurred in their lives and the extent to which Eowyn signified for them and was some kind of help to them during those periods.

What do you 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. “Was the stew as terrible as it looked?” It’s become a running gag, the whole thing about the stew, and all fans wish to know what was in the pot, and how was it made, and in your opinion she’s a better cook now, or do you think she really is a bad cook? Fans seem, in my view, fascinated by the humour of that situation. And I go into great detail describing the ingredients that made up the stew – because I remember what they did; like they even adding pieces of colored thread to make it look like blood vessels in the meat. They went to extreme measures to make it look as bad as they could.

An Awkward Celebrity Meeting

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

I attended a fitness session and another participant lying down exercising, and the teacher remarked, “Hello Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I made some joke about, “might you be a journalist?” Because it’s an uncommon moniker and most of the time when someone’s a Miranda, they work in media. I wasn’t really seeing who it was. And as she rose, it was Miranda Richardson. Then I didn’t know words. I still had to stay and do my class, and I experienced so embarrassed. I wanted to say: “Goodness, I am aware of who you are!” I consider she’s so fabulous and I was just too starstruck to utter a syllable.

The Source of a Moniker

Articles have confidently claimed that you were named after Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet I’ve read you saying otherwise – can you settle the matter definitively?

Yes – I was christened for a district in Sydney. Mum learned via broadcast that they were opening a shopping centre at that location, and the name sounded like a pleasant choice.

Pandemonium on Location

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

While working in Brazil for the film Reaching for the Moon I experienced the least organized set of my career, and yet the film turned out incredibly well. But the local crew operated in such a different way. Their concept of time there is really different. Typically, you receive a call sheet and you have to be on set by a certain time. But this was rather flexible – you come on set at one's convenience. It was a really different approach for me. The elements were all coming together 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 you’d be in the middle of a scene and be like, “What was that noise that disturbed the scene? Oh, it’s a crew member opening some champagne on set, to start a party.” The result was excellent, but wow, it’s a distinct approach to film-making.

A Hidden Skill

Do you have a secretly good at?

I naturally possess good with numbers. I retain numbers easier than I learn dialogue often, I’ve just got a numerically-oriented mind. So I believe if I hadn’t pursued acting, I probably would have worked in something to do with numbers, like mathematics or finance.

The Finest Guidance Ever Received

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

When I was in secondary school, a speaker came to speak when we were graduating and they said, “have no fear to fail” … which I think is the best piece of advice, because you learn so much more from setbacks than you learn from success. With success, you never really comprehends precisely why it happened. With failure, you learn abundant.