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In a candid interview, the acclaimed performer opens up on subjects as varied as her latest role as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the invaluable wisdom learned through theatrical mistakes and meeting admirers.

Given the Chance to Become a Fish for a Day

The most recent role is Queen 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?

Straight away, that particular fish found at Clovelly beach – because it’s like an institution, and individuals visit to see it. It strikes me it’s cool 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 repeatedly watch, and why?

The 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I love this picture. During my growing up, it would air on television occasionally, and once I videotaped it. I found it was so funny. It stars the legendary 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 attended and simply chuckled repeatedly. It is a great piece of humor and all the actors in it are fantastic. The director Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – which was not successful. But Lubitsch's version is a brilliant comedy, worth viewing often.

The Best Lesson Learned From a Co-Star

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

I was doing A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – now my spouse, but back then we were not together. We portrayed characters opposite each other and on opening night I tripped up – I jumped ahead some dialogue in the script. I didn’t know what I’d done but I abruptly sensed things were off. I remember glancing toward him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then the scene took off again and proceeded splendidly. But I think what I learned then was, first, always trust the people in your scene. When you lose where you are, by looking and toward the people sharing the stage with, you can rediscover your correct position in some way. It’s such collaborative endeavor, acting on stage. And secondly, just to have a lighthearted attitude about it. Sometimes when something goes wrong, things actually spark off in a really great way if you’re really present in that moment. It can be an unexpected boon when things go absolutely awry.

Heartening Exchanges with Admirers

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

There isn't a single particular interaction but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I am told numerous accounts about what Eowyn meant to them when they were younger … things that had happened in their lives and how much that character meant to them and was a form of support to them in those times.

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

The most detailed inquiry concerns always about that infamous meal 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 the contents of the stew, and how was it made, and do you think she’s a better cook now, or do you believe she really is a poor chef? Fans seem, I think, fascinated by the humour of that situation. And I go into great detail listing the ingredients that made up the stew – because I remember what they did; like they even 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.

A Cringeworthy Star Meeting

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

I attended a pilates class and there was a woman lying down exercising, and the instructor remarked, “Oh, Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I attempted some joke about, “might you be a journalist?” Since Miranda is an uncommon moniker and often when someone’s a Miranda, they’re a journalist. I wasn’t really seeing who it was. And when she got up, it was the actress Miranda Richardson. Then I didn’t know words. I was obliged to stay and do my class, and I felt intense awkwardness. I wanted to say: “Oh my gosh, I am aware of your work!” I consider she’s so fabulous and I was simply too awestruck to utter a syllable.

The Source of a Moniker

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 settle the matter once and for all?

Indeed, I was christened for the Sydney suburb. Mum learned via broadcast that they were inaugurating a mall at that location, and she thought seemed 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 most chaotic set of my career, and yet the final product turned out brilliantly. But they just work in such a different way. Their concept of time there is unique. In Australia, you normally have a schedule and you have to be on set by a certain time. But this was sort of flexible – you come on set whenever you happen to be ready. It was a really different approach for me. All aspects were all coming together at the very last minute, and sometimes the plan was unclear where they were shooting 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 popping open some champagne during filming, because he’s making a party.” It turned out great, but wow, it’s a distinct style of film-making.

A Secret Skill

What are you secretly good at?

I naturally possess good with numbers. I retain numbers more readily than I learn dialogue often, I’ve just got that kind of a brain. So I believe if I hadn’t ended up in acting, I likely might have entered a field involving numbers, like math or finance.

The Best Guidance Given

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

When I was in high school, someone came to speak when we were graduating and they said, “have no fear to fail” … an idea I consider is supremely valuable counsel, because you learn so much more from failure than is gained from triumph. Success, one rarely understand precisely why it happened. Failure, you learn abundant.