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During a revealing discussion, the acclaimed performer reflects on topics ranging from her newest character as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the profound lessons learned through onstage mishaps and fan interactions.

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, the blue groper found at a specific shoreline – since it is a local landmark, and individuals visit to see it. It strikes me as remarkable that a resident aquatic creature that folks genuinely go and see and talk about – it holds a unique status.

A Film Staple to Revisit

What film do you always return to, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I love this picture. When I was childhood, it used to come on television every now and again, and one time I videotaped it. I found it was so funny. It’s the legendary Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Not long ago they were playing it at the Ritz and it turned out that it was also the favourite film of a friend of mine, and so we went and just laughed and laughed. It’s such masterful work of humor and all the actors in it are superb. Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – which was not as effective. But Lubitsch's version is a brilliant comedy, to be watched regularly.

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 – my husband now, but at the time we were not a couple. We were playing as scene partners and on opening night I tripped up – I skipped forward a few lines in the script. I was unaware of my error but I abruptly sensed things were off. I remember glancing toward him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then our performance took off again and proceeded splendidly. However, I believe the insight gained in that moment was, first, consistently rely on the individuals you’re working with. If you don’t know where you are, if you turn around and toward the people sharing the stage with, you will find where you’re meant to be in some way. It is a profoundly collaborative endeavor, performing live. And secondly, to maintain a lighthearted attitude about 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 absolutely the wrong way.

Memorable Exchanges with Fans

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

There isn't just one specific meeting but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I hear a lot of accounts about how that character 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.

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

The most specific question is always about the stew that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Was the stew as terrible as it looked?” It has evolved into a running gag, the entire episode about the stew, and everyone wants to know what was in the stew, and how was it made, and do you think her skills improved now, or do you think she really is a bad cook? Fans seem, in my view, fascinated by the humour of that scene. And I go into great detail listing the components that made up the concoction – because I remember what they did; like they even put bits of red cotton to make it look like blood vessels in the meat. The crew employed extreme measures to make it look as unappetizing as they could.

A Cringeworthy Celebrity Meeting

What’s been your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I attended a fitness session and another participant on a mat exercising, and the instructor remarked, “Oh, Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I attempted some joke about, “oh, are you a journalist?” Because it’s an unusual name and most of the time 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 was at a loss for words. I still had to stay and do my class, and I felt intense awkwardness. I wished to explain: “Oh my gosh, I do know your work!” I think she’s so fabulous and I was just too starstruck to utter a syllable.

The Source of a Name

Articles have confidently claimed that you were given your name from Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet you've mentioned you saying otherwise – can you clarify this once and for all?

Yes – I was christened for the Sydney suburb. My mother heard on the radio that they were inaugurating a shopping centre at Miranda, and she thought seemed a nice name.

Chaos 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 I’ve ever worked on, and yet the film turned out brilliantly. But the local crew operated in such a different way. The sense of time there is unique. In Australia, you normally have 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. All aspects were all coming together at the very last minute, and sometimes they wouldn’t know where they were shooting or the methodology. And then I would be in the middle of a scene and be like, “What caused that sound that just interrupted the scene? Oh, it’s a crew member popping open a bottle during filming, because he’s making a party.” The result was great, but goodness, it’s a distinct approach to film-making.

A Secret Skill

What are you secretly good at?

I’ve always been an aptitude for numbers. I memorise numbers more readily than I learn dialogue often, I simply have a numerically-oriented mind. So I believe had I not ended up in acting, I likely might have worked in something to do with numbers, like math or accounting.

The Best Piece of Advice Given

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

During my time in secondary school, a speaker came to speak as we were graduating and they said, “don’t be afraid to fail” … which I think is the best piece of advice, since one gains so much more from failure than you learn from success. Success, you never really comprehends precisely why it happened. Failure, the lessons are so much more.