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

If You Could Be a Fish for a Day

Your latest character portrays 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 a specific shoreline – because it’s like an institution, and individuals visit to see it. It strikes me as remarkable that a resident aquatic creature that people actually go and see and talk about – it holds a unique status.

A Cinematic Favorite to Revisit

Which movie do you always return to, and why?

The 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this film. When I was childhood, it would air on television occasionally, and once I videotaped 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 an acquaintance, and so we attended and just laughed and laughed. It is a masterful work of humor and all the actors 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 Lesson Learned From a Fellow Actor

What’s the best lesson you took away from someone a colleague?

I was doing A Doll’s House with Pete – my husband now, but at the time we were not a couple. We were playing opposite each other and on opening night I tripped up – I jumped ahead a few lines in the script. I didn’t know of my error but I abruptly sensed things were off. I recall looking at him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then the scene regained momentum and went really, really well. But I think the insight gained then was, firstly, consistently rely on the individuals in your scene. If you don’t know where you are, by looking and look at the actors sharing the stage with, you can rediscover your correct position somehow. It’s such collaborative endeavor, performing live. And secondly, just to have a sense of fun regarding it. Occasionally when something goes wrong, things actually spark off in a really great direction provided you are fully engaged then. It may become a gift when things go completely awry.

Memorable Exchanges with Fans

Can you describe your most touching interaction with a fan?

It’s not a single specific meeting 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 growing up … events that occurred in their lives and the extent to which Eowyn signified for them and was a form of support to them during those periods.

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

The most specific question is invariably regarding the stew that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Did that stew taste as terrible as it looked?” It has evolved into a running gag, the whole thing involving that dish, and everyone wants to know the contents of the stew, and how was it made, and in your opinion she’s a better cook now, or do you think she really is a bad cook? Fans seem, I think, obsessed with the comedy of that scene. And I go into great detail describing the ingredients that made up the stew – because I remember what they did; such as put bits of red cotton to make it look like blood vessels in the meat. They went to great detail to make it look as unappetizing as they could.

A Cringeworthy Star Encounter

What’s been your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I was at a fitness session and another participant lying down exercising, and the teacher said to me, “Oh, Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I made a lighthearted remark about, “might you be a journalist?” Since Miranda is an unusual name and most of the time when someone’s a Miranda, they work in media. I hadn't properly identified her. And when she got up, it was Miranda Richardson. At that point, I was at a loss for words. I was obliged to stay and do my class, and I experienced intense awkwardness. I wished to explain: “Goodness, I do know who you are!” I consider her talent is immense and I was just too starstruck to utter a syllable.

The Origin of a Name

It’s been confidently claimed 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 a district in Sydney. Mum heard on the radio that they were opening a mall at that location, and she thought sounded like a pleasant choice.

Chaos on Set

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

While working in Brazil on Reaching for the Moon that was the most chaotic set of my career, and yet the film emerged incredibly well. But the local crew operated in a distinct manner. Their concept of time there is unique. In Australia, you normally have a call sheet and you have to be on set punctually. But this was rather flexible – you come on set at one's convenience. It was a novel way of working for me. The elements were being assembled at the final moment, and sometimes they wouldn’t know where they were shooting the next day how we were going to do it. And then I would be in the middle of a scene and be like, “What was that noise that just interrupted the scene? Oh, it’s the producer opening some champagne during filming, to start a party.” It turned out excellent, but goodness, it’s a distinct style of film-making.

A Secret Talent

Do you have a secretly good at?

I’ve always been good with numbers. I memorise numbers more readily than I learn dialogue a lot of the time, I’ve just got that kind of a brain. So I think if I hadn’t ended up in acting, I likely might have entered a field something to do with numbers, like math or finance.

The Best Guidance Ever Received

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

When I was in secondary school, someone addressed us when we were graduating and stated, “don’t be afraid to fail” … which I think is the best piece of advice, because you learn far more from setbacks than is gained from success. With success, you never really comprehends exactly how it happened. Failure, the lessons are abundant.