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During a revealing discussion, the acclaimed performer delves on topics ranging from her newest character as a regal sea creature to the invaluable wisdom learned through theatrical mistakes and fan interactions.

Given the Chance to Become 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 it be and why?

Straight away, that particular fish residing near Clovelly beach – since it is 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 talk about – it’s a special fish.

A Film Staple to Return To

Which movie do you always return to, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this picture. When I was growing up, it used to come on television every now and again, and one time I recorded it. I just thought it was hilarious. It stars Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Not long ago they were showing it at the Ritz and it turned out that it was the preferred movie of a friend of mine, and so we went and just laughed and laughed. It’s such great piece of humor 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 an exceptional farce, worth viewing often.

The Best Insight Gained Through a Fellow Actor

What is the most valuable 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 together. We were playing opposite each other and during the premiere I stumbled – I skipped forward some dialogue in the script. I was unaware of my error but I suddenly realised things were off. I recall glancing toward him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then our performance took off again and went really, really well. But I think what I learned in that moment was, firstly, consistently rely on the individuals in your scene. If you don’t know your place, if you turn around and look at the actors you’re with, you will find your correct position in some way. It is a profoundly collaborative endeavor, acting on stage. And secondly, to maintain a sense of fun regarding it. Sometimes when something goes wrong, things can ignite in a really great way provided you are fully engaged in that moment. It may become an unexpected boon when things go completely 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 hear a lot of accounts about what Eowyn impacted them when they were younger … things that had happened in their lives and how much that character signified for 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 her character prepares for Aragorn. “Was the stew as terrible as it looked?” It’s become a running gag, the whole thing about the stew, and everyone wants to know the contents of the stew, and its preparation method, and in your opinion she’s a better cook 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 listing the components that constituted the stew – because I remember the efforts made; such as adding pieces of red cotton to simulate the appearance like blood vessels in the meat. They went to extreme measures to make it look as bad as they could.

An Awkward Star Meeting

What was your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I attended a pilates class and another participant on a mat doing pilates, and the instructor remarked, “Hello Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I attempted 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’re a journalist. I wasn’t really seeing who it was. And as she rose, it was Miranda Richardson. At that point, I was at a loss for words. I was obliged to complete my class, and I experienced so embarrassed. I wanted to say: “Oh my gosh, I am aware of your work!” I consider her talent is immense and I was just too starstruck to say anything.

The Origin of a Moniker

It’s been confidently claimed that you were named after Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet you've mentioned you saying otherwise – can you clarify this definitively?

Indeed, I was named after a district in Sydney. Mum learned via broadcast that they were inaugurating a shopping centre at that location, and the name seemed a nice name.

Chaos on Set

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 I experienced 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 really different. In Australia, you receive a schedule and you have to be on set by a certain time. But this was rather open ended – one would appear at one's convenience. It was a novel approach for me. All aspects were all coming together at the final moment, and at times the plan was unclear the next location the next day the methodology. And then I would be in the middle of a scene and wondering, “What was that noise that just interrupted the scene? Oh, it’s the producer popping open some champagne during filming, to start a party.” It turned out great, but goodness, it’s a really different approach to film-making.

A Hidden Skill

What are you secretly good at?

I naturally possess good with numbers. I memorise numbers more readily than I learn dialogue a lot of the time, I’ve just got a numerically-oriented mind. So I think if I hadn’t ended up in acting, I likely might have entered a field something to do with numbers, like mathematics or accounting.

The Best Piece of Advice Ever Received

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

During my time in high school, someone addressed us as we were graduating and stated, “don’t be afraid to fail” … an idea I consider is the best piece of advice, because you learn so much more from setbacks than is gained from success. With success, one rarely understand precisely why it happened. Failure, the lessons are abundant.