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During a revealing conversation, the acclaimed performer delves on topics ranging from her latest role as a regal sea creature to the invaluable wisdom gleaned from onstage mishaps and fan interactions.

If You Could Be a Sea Creature for a Day

The most recent role is 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 you choose and why?

Without hesitation, the blue groper residing near Clovelly beach – because it’s like an institution, and individuals visit 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 Favorite to Return To

What film do you always return to, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this film. When I was childhood, it used to come on the ABC occasionally, and one time I recorded it. I just thought it was so funny. It’s Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Recently they were playing it at the Ritz and it turned out that it was the preferred movie of a friend of mine, and so we went and simply chuckled repeatedly. It’s such great piece of comedy and all the actors in it are superb. Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – that wasn’t successful. But Lubitsch's version is an exceptional farce, to be watched regularly.

A Priceless Lesson Learned From a Fellow Actor

What is the most valuable lesson you learned 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 together. We portrayed characters opposite each other and during the premiere I stumbled – I skipped forward a few lines in the script. I was unaware of my error but I suddenly realised things were off. I recall glancing toward him, and he completely saved me, and then the scene took off again 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, if you turn around and look at the actors you’re with, you will find where you’re meant to be somehow. It is a profoundly collaborative endeavor, acting on stage. And secondly, just to have a sense of fun about it. Occasionally when something goes wrong, things can ignite in a really great direction if you’re fully engaged in that moment. It can be an unexpected boon when things go absolutely awry.

Heartening Exchanges with Fans

Can you describe your most touching interaction with a fan?

It’s not just one specific meeting but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I hear a lot of accounts about what Eowyn impacted them when they were younger … things that had happened in their lives and how much that character signified for them and was some kind of help to them in those times.

What do you get asked most frequently by Lord of the Rings fans?

The most specific inquiry concerns always about the stew that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Did that stew taste as terrible as it looked?” It’s become such a joke, the whole thing about the stew, and everyone wants to know the contents of the stew, and how was it made, and in your opinion her skills improved now, or do you think she really is a poor chef? Fans seem, in my view, obsessed with the humour of that situation. And I provide lengthy descriptions listing the components that made up the stew – because I remember the efforts made; such as adding pieces of red cotton to simulate the appearance like blood vessels in the meat. The crew employed extreme measures to make it look as bad as possible.

An Awkward Star Meeting

What was your most embarrassing run-in with a famous person?

I was at a fitness session and another participant lying down exercising, and the instructor said to me, “Oh, Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I attempted a lighthearted remark about, “oh, are you a journalist?” Because it’s an uncommon moniker and often 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 complete my class, and I experienced so embarrassed. I wanted to say: “Oh my gosh, I do know your work!” I consider she’s so fabulous and I was simply too awestruck 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 I’ve read you saying otherwise – can you clarify this definitively?

Yes – I was christened for the Sydney suburb. Mum learned via broadcast that they were opening a mall at that location, and she thought seemed a pleasant choice.

Pandemonium on Location

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

While working in Brazil on Reaching for the Moon that was the least organized set I’ve ever worked on, and yet the film turned out incredibly well. But they just work in such a different way. Their concept of time there is really different. Typically, you normally have a schedule and you have to be on set by a certain time. But this was rather flexible – one would appear whenever you happen to be ready. It was a really different way of working for me. The elements were being assembled at the very last minute, and sometimes they wouldn’t know the next location the next day how we were going to do it. And then I would be in during a scene and wondering, “What was that noise that just interrupted the scene? Oh, it’s the producer popping open some champagne during filming, to start a party.” The result was excellent, but goodness, it’s a really different approach to film-making.

A Hidden Skill

What are you secretly good at?

I’ve always been good with numbers. I retain numbers easier than I learn dialogue a lot of the time, I simply have a numerically-oriented mind. So I believe had I not ended up in acting, I probably would have worked in involving numbers, like mathematics or finance.

The Best Piece of Advice Ever Received

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

When I was in high school, someone addressed us as we were graduating and they said, “don’t be afraid to fail” … an idea I consider is the best piece of advice, because you learn far more from setbacks than is gained from triumph. Success, you never really understand precisely why it happened. With failure, the lessons are abundant.