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During a revealing discussion, the acclaimed performer reflects on subjects as varied as her latest role as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the invaluable wisdom gleaned from theatrical mistakes 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; if you could be a fish for a day, which one would it be and why?

Without hesitation, the blue groper residing near a specific shoreline – because it’s a local landmark, and people go there specifically to spot it. It strikes me as remarkable that there’s a local fish that people actually go and see and talk about – it holds a unique status.

A Cinematic Favorite to Return To

What film do you repeatedly watch, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I love this film. When I was growing up, it would air on television occasionally, and one time I videotaped it. I found it was so funny. It stars Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Recently they were showing it at a cinema and I discovered that it was also the favourite film of a friend of mine, and so we went and just laughed repeatedly. It is a masterful work of humor and the entire cast in it are fantastic. Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – that wasn’t successful. But the original film is an exceptional farce, worth viewing often.

A Priceless Insight Learned From a Fellow Actor

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

I was doing A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – now my spouse, but back then we were not a couple. We portrayed characters opposite each other and on opening night I tripped up – I skipped forward some dialogue in the script. I was unaware of my error but I abruptly sensed something wasn’t right. I recall glancing toward him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then the scene regained momentum and went really, really well. However, I believe the insight gained then was, first, consistently rely on the people you’re working with. When you lose where you are, if you turn around and look at the people you’re with, you will find your correct position somehow. It’s such collaborative endeavor, performing live. And next, just to have a sense of fun about it. Occasionally when something goes wrong, things can ignite in a really great direction provided you are really present in that moment. It may become an unexpected boon when things go absolutely the wrong way.

Heartening Exchanges with Admirers

Can you describe your most touching interaction with a fan?

It’s not just one particular interaction but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I am told numerous stories about how that character 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.

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

The most detailed question is always about the stew her character prepares for Aragorn. “Was the stew really that bad?” It has evolved into a running gag, the entire episode involving that dish, and all fans wish to know what was in the pot, and its preparation method, and do you think her skills improved now, or do you believe she really is a bad cook? Fans seem, in my view, fascinated by the humour of that scene. And I provide lengthy descriptions listing the components that made up the stew – because I remember the efforts made; such as put bits of red cotton to make it look like bits of veins in the meat. The crew employed extreme measures to make it look as bad as possible.

A Cringeworthy Star Encounter

What was your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I was at a fitness session and another participant on a mat exercising, and the instructor remarked, “Hello Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I attempted some joke inquiring, “oh, are you a journalist?” Since Miranda is an unusual name and often when someone’s a Miranda, they work in media. I hadn't properly identified her. 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 so embarrassed. I wanted to say: “Goodness, I do know who you are!” I consider her talent is immense and I was simply too awestruck to say anything.

The Source of a Name

Articles have repeatedly stated that you were named after Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet I’ve read stating otherwise – can you settle the matter definitively?

Yes – I was named after a district in Sydney. My mother learned via broadcast that they were opening a shopping centre at Miranda, and she thought sounded like a pleasant choice.

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 I experienced the least organized set of my career, and yet the final product turned out brilliantly. But the local crew operated in such a different way. The sense of time there is unique. Typically, you normally have a call sheet and you have to be on set punctually. But this was sort of open ended – you come on set whenever you happen to be ready. It was a really different way of working for me. The elements were being assembled at the final moment, and sometimes they wouldn’t know where they were shooting or 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 disturbed the scene? Ah, it was a crew member opening a bottle during filming, to start a party.” It turned out great, but wow, it’s a really different style of film-making.

A Secret Talent

What are you secretly good at?

I’ve always been an aptitude for numbers. I retain numbers easier than I learn dialogue a lot of the time, I simply have a numerically-oriented mind. So I think had I not ended up in acting, I probably would have entered a field something to do with numbers, like math or finance.

The Finest Piece of Advice Given

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

When I was in high school, a speaker addressed us as we were graduating and stated, “don’t be afraid to fail” … an idea I consider is supremely valuable counsel, since one gains so much more from setbacks than you learn from triumph. Success, you never really understand precisely why it happened. Failure, the lessons are abundant.