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In a candid interview, the acclaimed performer delves on topics ranging from her newest character as a regal sea creature to the invaluable wisdom learned through onstage mishaps and meeting admirers.

Given the Chance to Become a Fish for a Day

The most recent character portrays the monarch of the cuttlefish in The Pout-Pout Fish; if you could be a fish for a day, which one would it be and why?

Without hesitation, that particular fish residing near a specific shoreline – because it’s like an institution, and people go there specifically to spot it. It strikes me as remarkable that there’s a local fish that people actually 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?

The 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I love this picture. When I was childhood, it used to come on television occasionally, and once I videotaped it. I just thought it was so funny. It stars Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Recently they were showing it at a cinema and it turned out that it was also the favourite film of an acquaintance, and so we attended and simply chuckled repeatedly. It’s such great piece of comedy and all the actors in it are fantastic. Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – which was not successful. But Lubitsch's version is a brilliant comedy, to be watched often.

A Priceless Lesson Gained Through a Co-Star

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

I was doing A Doll’s House with Pete – now my spouse, but back then we were not a couple. We were playing opposite each other and during the premiere I tripped up – I jumped ahead some dialogue in the script. I was unaware of my error but I suddenly realised things were off. I recall looking at him, and he completely saved me, and then our performance regained momentum and went really, really well. But I think the insight gained then was, first, consistently rely on the individuals in your scene. If you don’t know your place, by looking and toward the actors sharing the stage with, you can rediscover your correct position in some way. It is a profoundly communal thing, performing live. And secondly, just to have a sense of fun about it. Occasionally when something goes wrong, things actually spark off in a really great direction if you’re fully engaged in that moment. It may become an unexpected boon when things go absolutely the wrong way.

Memorable Interactions with Fans

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

It’s not just one specific meeting but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I am told numerous stories about how that character impacted them when they were younger … events that occurred in their lives and the extent to which Eowyn 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 invariably regarding the stew her character prepares for Aragorn. “Did that stew taste really that bad?” It’s become such a joke, the entire episode about the stew, and all fans wish to know what was in 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? People are, I think, obsessed with the humour of that scene. And I provide great detail describing the components that made up the stew – 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. The crew employed great detail to make it look as bad as possible.

A Cringeworthy Celebrity Encounter

What was your most embarrassing celebrity encounter?

I was at a fitness session and another participant lying down exercising, and the instructor said to me, “Hello 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 work in media. I wasn’t really seeing who it was. And as she rose, it was the actress Miranda Richardson. At that point, I didn’t know what to say. I still had to complete my class, and I experienced intense awkwardness. I wanted to say: “Goodness, I do know your work!” I think her talent is immense and I was just too starstruck to utter a syllable.

The Origin of a Name

Articles have 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?

Indeed, I was named after the Sydney suburb. My mother heard on the radio that they were opening a mall at that location, and the name sounded like a pleasant choice.

Pandemonium on Location

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

When I was working in Brazil for the film Reaching for the Moon that was the least organized set of my career, and yet the film emerged brilliantly. But they just work in a distinct manner. The sense of time there is unique. Typically, you normally have a schedule and you have to be on set by a certain time. But this was rather open ended – one would appear whenever you happen to be ready. It was a novel way of working for me. The elements were being assembled at the very last minute, and at times the plan was unclear where they were shooting or how we were going to do it. And then I would be in during a scene and wondering, “What was that noise that disturbed the scene? Ah, it was a crew member popping open a bottle during filming, to start a party.” It turned out excellent, but goodness, it’s a distinct approach to film-making.

A Secret Skill

Do you have a secretly good at?

I naturally possess good with numbers. I memorise numbers easier than I memorise words often, I’ve just got that kind of a brain. So I think had I not ended up in acting, I probably would have entered a field involving numbers, like math or finance.

The Finest Guidance Given

What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received?

During my time in secondary school, someone addressed us as we were graduating and stated, “have no fear to fail” … an idea I consider is the best piece of advice, since one gains so much more from failure than you learn from success. With success, you never really understand precisely why it happened. Failure, you learn abundant.