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

If You Could Be a Fish for a Day

Your latest character portrays 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 Clovelly beach – because it’s a local landmark, and individuals visit specifically to spot it. I just think as remarkable that there’s a local fish that people actually seek out and discuss – it holds a unique status.

A Cinematic Staple to Revisit

Which movie do you repeatedly watch, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I love this film. When I was childhood, it used to come on television occasionally, and one time I recorded it. I just thought 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 the preferred movie of an acquaintance, and so we went and simply chuckled repeatedly. It is a masterful work 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 regularly.

A Priceless Lesson Learned From a Fellow Actor

What is the most valuable lesson you learned from someone you’ve worked with?

I was doing A Doll’s House with Pete – my husband now, but at the time we were not a couple. We portrayed characters opposite each other and on opening night I stumbled – 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 expertly rescued the moment, and then the scene regained momentum and proceeded splendidly. But I think the insight gained then was, first, always trust the people you’re working with. When you lose where you are, if you turn around and look at the actors sharing the stage with, you will find where you’re meant to be somehow. It’s such communal thing, performing live. And next, just to have a sense of fun about it. Occasionally when something goes wrong, things actually spark off in a really great way if you’re fully engaged then. It can be a gift when things go completely awry.

Heartening Interactions with Admirers

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

It’s not a single particular interaction but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I am told numerous stories about what Eowyn impacted them when they were younger … things that had happened in their lives and the extent to which that character signified for them and was a form of support to them during those periods.

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

The most detailed question is invariably regarding the stew that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Was the stew really that bad?” It’s become a running gag, the whole thing involving that dish, and all fans wish to know the contents of the pot, and how was it made, and in your opinion she’s a better cook now, or do you believe she really is a bad cook? Fans seem, I think, obsessed with the comedy of that situation. And I go into lengthy descriptions listing the components that made up the concoction – as I recall the efforts made; like they even put bits of colored thread to simulate the appearance like bits of veins in the meat. They went to extreme measures to render it as bad as possible.

An Awkward Celebrity Meeting

What was your most embarrassing run-in with a famous person?

I attended a fitness session and another participant lying down exercising, and the instructor remarked, “Hello Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I made some joke inquiring, “oh, are you a journalist?” Because it’s an unusual name and often when I meet another Miranda, they work in media. I wasn’t really identified her. And when she got up, it was the actress Miranda Richardson. At that point, I didn’t know what to say. I was obliged to complete my class, and I experienced intense awkwardness. I wanted to say: “Oh my gosh, I am aware of who you are!” I consider she’s so fabulous and I was simply too awestruck to utter a syllable.

The Source of a Name

It’s been confidently claimed that you were named after Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet you've mentioned stating otherwise – can you settle the matter once and for all?

Yes – 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 sounded like a pleasant choice.

Pandemonium on Set

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

While working in Brazil for the film Reaching for the Moon that was the least organized set of my career, and yet the final product emerged incredibly well. But they just work in such a different way. Their concept of time there is really different. Typically, you normally have a call sheet and must arrive on set by a certain time. But this was rather flexible – you come on set whenever you happen to be ready. It was a really different approach for me. All aspects were all coming together at the final moment, and sometimes the plan was unclear where they were shooting or the methodology. And then you’d be in the middle of a scene and wondering, “What caused that sound that just interrupted the scene? Ah, it was the producer popping open a bottle on set, to start a party.” It turned out great, but wow, it’s a really different style of film-making.

A Hidden Skill

What are you secretly good at?

I naturally possess good with numbers. I retain numbers easier than I memorise words often, I simply have that kind of a brain. So I believe 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 Given

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

During my time in secondary school, someone addressed us when we were graduating and they said, “don’t be afraid to fail” … an idea I consider is the best piece of advice, because you learn far more from failure than you learn from success. With success, you never really comprehends precisely why it happened. Failure, you learn abundant.