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Through a thoughtful conversation, the acclaimed performer delves on subjects as varied as her newest character as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the profound lessons gleaned from theatrical mistakes and meeting admirers.

Given the Chance to Become a Sea Creature for a Day

Your latest character portrays the monarch 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 found at a specific shoreline – because it’s like an institution, and individuals visit specifically to spot it. I just think it’s cool that there’s a local fish that people actually go and see and discuss – it holds a unique status.

A Film Staple 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. During my childhood, it would air on television every now and again, and one time I recorded it. I just thought it was hilarious. It’s the legendary Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Recently they were showing it at a cinema and it turned out that it was the preferred movie of a friend of mine, and so we went and simply chuckled and laughed. It’s such masterful work of comedy and all the actors in it are superb. The director Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – that wasn’t successful. But Lubitsch's version is a brilliant comedy, to be watched regularly.

The Best Lesson Gained Through a Fellow Actor

What is the most valuable lesson you took away from someone you’ve worked with?

I was doing A Doll’s House with Pete – now my spouse, but at the time we were not a couple. We were playing as scene partners and on opening night I stumbled – I skipped forward a few lines in the script. I was unaware what I’d done but I suddenly realised something wasn’t right. I recall glancing toward him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then the scene took off again and went really, really well. However, I believe what I learned in that moment was, first, always trust the people in your scene. When you lose where you are, if you turn around and toward the people sharing the stage with, you can rediscover where you’re meant to be somehow. It is a profoundly communal thing, performing live. And secondly, to maintain a lighthearted attitude regarding it. Sometimes when a mistake occurs, things actually spark off in a wonderfully positive direction if you’re fully engaged in that moment. It may become an unexpected boon when things go completely awry.

Memorable Interactions with Admirers

Can you describe your most touching encounter with a fan?

There isn't just one particular interaction but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I hear a lot of accounts about what Eowyn meant to them when they were growing up … events that occurred in their lives and how much Eowyn meant to them and was some kind of help to them in those times.

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

The most detailed question is invariably regarding the stew that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Did that stew taste really that bad?” It has evolved into a running gag, the entire episode involving that dish, and everyone wants to know what was in the stew, and its preparation method, and in your opinion her skills improved now, or do you believe she really is a bad cook? Fans seem, I think, obsessed with the comedy of that scene. And I go into great detail listing the ingredients that made up the concoction – as I recall the efforts made; like they even adding pieces of red cotton to make it look like bits of veins in the meat. They went to extreme measures to make it look as bad as possible.

An Awkward Star Encounter

What was your most embarrassing celebrity encounter?

I was at a fitness session and another participant lying down exercising, and the instructor remarked, “Oh, Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I made a lighthearted remark about, “oh, are you a journalist?” Because it’s an unusual name and most of the time when someone’s a Miranda, they work in media. I hadn't properly seeing who it was. And when she got up, it was Miranda Richardson. At that point, I didn’t know words. I was obliged to complete my class, and I felt so embarrassed. I wanted to say: “Goodness, I do know who you are!” I consider she’s so fabulous and I was just too starstruck to say anything.

The Origin of a Name

It’s been repeatedly stated that you were given your name from Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet you've mentioned stating otherwise – can you clarify this once and for all?

Yes – I was named after the Sydney suburb. Mum learned via broadcast that they were opening a shopping centre at that location, and she thought seemed a nice name.

Chaos on Location

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

While working in Brazil on Reaching for the Moon I experienced the least organized set I’ve ever worked on, and yet the final product emerged brilliantly. But the local crew operated in such a different way. The sense of time there is really different. Typically, you receive a schedule and must arrive 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 where they were shooting or the methodology. And then I would be in during a scene and be like, “What was that noise that just interrupted the scene? Oh, it’s a crew member popping open a bottle on set, to start a party.” The result was excellent, but wow, it’s a really different approach to film-making.

A Secret Skill

What are you secretly good at?

I naturally possess good with numbers. I retain numbers easier than I learn dialogue often, I simply have that kind of a brain. So I think if I hadn’t pursued acting, I probably would have entered a field something to do with numbers, like mathematics or finance.

The Finest Guidance Given

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, “have no fear to fail” … which I think is the best piece of advice, because you learn so much more from failure than is gained from success. With success, you never really comprehends exactly how it happened. Failure, the lessons are abundant.