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Through a thoughtful conversation, the acclaimed performer reflects on subjects as varied as her latest role as a regal sea creature to the profound lessons learned through onstage mishaps and meeting admirers.

If You Could Be a Fish for a Day

Your latest character portrays the monarch 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?

Without hesitation, the blue groper found at a specific shoreline – because it’s like an institution, and individuals visit specifically to spot it. It strikes me as remarkable that a resident aquatic creature that folks genuinely seek out and discuss – it holds a unique status.

A Cinematic Staple to Revisit

Which movie do you always return to, and why?

The 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this picture. When I was growing up, it would air on the ABC occasionally, and one time I recorded it. I just thought it was hilarious. It stars the legendary Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Not long ago they were playing it at the Ritz and I discovered that it was the preferred movie of a friend of mine, and so we went and just laughed repeatedly. It is a great piece of humor and the entire cast in it are fantastic. The director Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – that wasn’t as effective. But Lubitsch's version is a brilliant comedy, to be watched often.

A Priceless Insight Learned From a Fellow Actor

What’s the best lesson you learned from someone you’ve worked with?

Years ago I performed in A Doll’s House with Pete – now my spouse, but at the time we were not together. We portrayed characters opposite each other and on opening night I stumbled – I skipped forward a few lines in the script. I didn’t know what I’d done but I abruptly sensed something wasn’t right. I remember glancing toward him, and he completely saved me, and then the scene regained momentum and proceeded splendidly. But I think what I learned in that moment was, firstly, always trust the individuals in your scene. If you don’t know where you are, by looking and toward the people you’re with, you can rediscover your correct position somehow. It is a profoundly communal thing, performing live. And secondly, just to have a sense of fun regarding it. Sometimes when a mistake occurs, things actually spark off in a really great way if you’re fully engaged then. It can be a gift when things go completely awry.

Heartening Exchanges with Admirers

Can you describe your most touching interaction with a fan?

There isn't a single particular interaction but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I am told numerous stories about what Eowyn impacted 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 in those times.

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

The most specific question is always about the stew that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Was the stew really that bad?” It’s become such a joke, the entire episode involving that dish, and all fans wish to know what was in the stew, and how was it made, and in your opinion she’s a better cook now, or do you believe she really is a poor chef? People are, I think, fascinated by the comedy of that situation. And I go into lengthy descriptions listing the components that made up the stew – because I remember what they did; like they even adding pieces of red cotton to make it look like blood vessels in the meat. They went to extreme measures to make it look as unappetizing as possible.

An Awkward Star Meeting

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

I was at a fitness session and another participant on a mat exercising, and the instructor remarked, “Hello Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I attempted some joke inquiring, “oh, are you a journalist?” Since Miranda is an uncommon moniker and most of the time when someone’s a Miranda, they work in media. I wasn’t really identified her. And when she got up, it was the actress Miranda Richardson. Then I was at a loss for words. I was obliged to stay and do my class, and I experienced so embarrassed. I wanted to say: “Oh my gosh, 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 Moniker

It’s been repeatedly stated 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 definitively?

Yes – I was named after the Sydney suburb. My mother heard on the radio that they were inaugurating a shopping centre at that location, and the name 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 I experienced the most chaotic set of my career, and yet the film emerged brilliantly. But the local crew operated in a distinct manner. The sense of time there is really different. In Australia, you normally have a call sheet and you have to be on set by a certain time. But this was sort of flexible – you come on set at one's convenience. It was a novel approach for me. The elements were being assembled at the final moment, and at times they wouldn’t know the next location the next day how we were going to do it. And then you’d be in during a scene and be like, “What caused that sound that just interrupted the scene? Oh, it’s a crew member opening some champagne on set, to start a party.” The result was excellent, but goodness, it’s a really different approach to film-making.

A Hidden Talent

What are you secretly good at?

I naturally possess good with numbers. I memorise numbers more readily than I memorise words often, I simply have a numerically-oriented mind. So I believe if I hadn’t ended up in acting, I probably would have worked in something to do with numbers, like math 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 addressed us when we were graduating and they said, “don’t be afraid to fail” … which I think is supremely valuable counsel, because you learn so much more from failure than you learn from triumph. Success, one rarely understand precisely why it happened. With failure, the lessons are so much more.