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During a revealing discussion, the acclaimed performer delves on subjects as varied as her newest character as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the invaluable wisdom gleaned from theatrical mistakes and fan interactions.

If You Could Be a Sea Creature for a Day

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

Without hesitation, that particular fish residing near a specific shoreline – since it is a local landmark, and people go there to see it. It strikes me it’s cool that a resident aquatic creature that folks genuinely seek out and talk about – it’s a special fish.

A Film Favorite to Return To

Which movie do you always return to, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this picture. During my growing up, it used to come on the ABC every now and again, and once I recorded it. I just thought it was so funny. It’s the legendary Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Not long ago they were playing it at a cinema and I discovered that it was also the favourite film of an acquaintance, and so we went and simply chuckled repeatedly. It’s such great piece of comedy and the entire cast in it are fantastic. The director Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – that wasn’t as effective. But the original film is an exceptional farce, worth viewing regularly.

A Priceless Insight Learned From a Co-Star

What is the most valuable lesson you learned from someone a colleague?

Years ago I performed in A Doll’s House with Pete – now my spouse, but at the time we were not a couple. We portrayed characters as scene partners and on opening night I tripped up – I jumped ahead some dialogue in the script. I didn’t know of my error but I abruptly sensed things were off. I recall looking at him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then the scene took off again and proceeded splendidly. But I think what I learned in that moment was, firstly, consistently rely on the individuals in your scene. When you lose where you are, by looking and toward the actors sharing the stage with, you will find where you’re meant to be in some way. It is a profoundly collaborative endeavor, performing live. And secondly, just to have a lighthearted attitude regarding it. Occasionally when something goes wrong, things actually spark off in a wonderfully positive way provided you are fully engaged then. It may become a gift when things go absolutely the wrong way.

Heartening Exchanges with Fans

Can you describe your most touching interaction with a fan?

It’s not a single particular interaction but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I am told numerous accounts about how that character meant to them when they were younger … things that had happened in their lives and the extent to which Eowyn signified for them and was a form of support to them during those periods.

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

The most detailed question is invariably regarding that infamous meal her character prepares for Aragorn. “Was the stew as terrible as it looked?” It’s become a running gag, the whole thing involving that dish, and everyone wants to know what was in the pot, and its preparation method, and in your opinion her skills improved now, or do you think she really is a bad cook? Fans seem, I think, fascinated by the comedy of that scene. And I provide great detail listing the components that constituted the concoction – as I recall the efforts made; like they even adding pieces of colored thread to simulate the appearance like bits of veins in the meat. They went to great detail to make it look as bad as possible.

An Awkward Celebrity Meeting

What was your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I was at a pilates class and another participant lying down exercising, and the instructor said to me, “Oh, Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I made some joke about, “oh, are you a journalist?” Since Miranda is an unusual name and most of the time when I meet another Miranda, they’re a journalist. I wasn’t really seeing who it was. And when she got up, it was the actress Miranda Richardson. At that point, I didn’t know what to say. I was obliged to stay and do my class, and I felt so embarrassed. I wanted to say: “Goodness, I am aware of who you are!” I think her talent is immense and I was simply too awestruck to utter a syllable.

The Origin of a Name

It’s been confidently claimed that you were given your name from Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet I’ve read stating otherwise – can you settle the matter definitively?

Yes – I was named after a district in Sydney. My mother heard on the radio that they were inaugurating a shopping centre at that location, and she thought sounded like a nice name.

Chaos 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 I’ve ever worked on, and yet the final product emerged incredibly well. But they just work in such a different way. 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 – you come on set whenever you happen to be ready. It was a novel approach for me. The elements were all coming together at the very last minute, and sometimes the plan was unclear where they were shooting the next day the methodology. And then you’d be in during a scene and be like, “What was that noise that disturbed the scene? Oh, it’s a crew member opening some champagne during filming, to start a party.” The result was excellent, but wow, it’s a distinct style of film-making.

A Secret Skill

Do you have a secretly good at?

I’ve always been an aptitude for numbers. I memorise numbers more readily than I memorise words a lot of the time, I’ve just got a numerically-oriented mind. So I think 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’s the best piece of advice you have ever received?

During my time in high school, someone came to speak as we were graduating and they said, “have no fear to fail” … which I think is supremely valuable counsel, because you learn far more from setbacks than you learn from success. With success, one rarely comprehends precisely why it happened. Failure, you learn so much more.