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In a candid conversation, the acclaimed performer delves on topics ranging from her latest role as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the profound lessons gleaned from onstage mishaps and fan interactions.

If You Could Be a Fish for a Day

Your latest 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, that particular fish found at a specific shoreline – since it is like an institution, and people go there to see it. It strikes me as remarkable that there’s a local fish that folks genuinely seek out and talk about – it’s a special fish.

A Film Favorite to Revisit

What film do you repeatedly watch, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I love this film. During my childhood, it used to come on the ABC every now and again, and once I videotaped it. I found it was hilarious. It’s the legendary Carole Lombard and 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 great piece of humor and the entire cast in it are fantastic. Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – which was not successful. But the original film is a brilliant comedy, to be watched often.

The Best Insight Learned From a Fellow Actor

What is the most valuable lesson you took away from someone a colleague?

Years ago I performed in A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – now my spouse, but back then we were not a couple. We were playing as scene partners and on opening night I tripped up – I jumped ahead some dialogue in the script. I was unaware of my error but I abruptly sensed something wasn’t right. I recall looking at him, and he completely saved me, and then our performance took off again and went really, really well. But I think what I learned in that moment was, first, always trust the people you’re working with. If you don’t know your place, if you turn around and look at the actors sharing the stage with, you will find where you’re meant to be in some way. It’s such communal thing, acting on stage. And next, just to have a lighthearted attitude about it. Sometimes when a mistake occurs, things actually spark off in a really great way provided you are really present in that moment. It can be an unexpected boon when things go completely awry.

Heartening Exchanges with Admirers

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

There isn't a single specific meeting but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I am told numerous stories about what Eowyn meant to them when they were younger … events that occurred in their lives and how much that character signified for them and was some kind of help to them during those periods.

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

The most detailed question is invariably regarding that infamous meal her character prepares for Aragorn. “Was the stew really that bad?” It’s become such a joke, the entire episode about the stew, and everyone wants to know the contents of the pot, and its preparation method, and do you think she’s a better cook now, or do you think she really is a bad cook? Fans seem, I think, obsessed with the humour of that scene. And I go into lengthy descriptions describing the ingredients that made up the concoction – as I recall the efforts made; such as put bits of red cotton to make it look like blood vessels in the meat. They went to extreme measures to make it look as unappetizing as they could.

A Cringeworthy Star Meeting

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

I attended a fitness session and there was a woman on a mat exercising, and the instructor said to me, “Oh, Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I attempted some joke inquiring, “oh, are you a journalist?” Because it’s an unusual name and often when I meet another Miranda, they’re a journalist. I wasn’t really identified her. And when she got up, it was Miranda Richardson. Then I didn’t know what to say. I was obliged to complete my class, and I experienced intense awkwardness. I wished to explain: “Goodness, I am aware of your work!” I consider she’s so fabulous and I was just too starstruck to utter a syllable.

The Origin of a Moniker

Articles have repeatedly stated 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?

Indeed, I was named after a district in Sydney. Mum heard on the radio that they were inaugurating a mall 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?

When I was working in Brazil on Reaching for the Moon I experienced the most chaotic set I’ve ever worked on, and yet the film emerged brilliantly. But they just work in a distinct manner. Their concept of time there is really different. In Australia, you normally have a schedule and you have to be on set punctually. But this was rather flexible – one would appear at one's convenience. It was a novel approach for me. The elements were all coming together at the very last minute, and at times the plan was unclear 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 wondering, “What was that noise that disturbed the scene? Oh, it’s the producer popping open some champagne during filming, to start a party.” It turned out excellent, but wow, it’s a really different style of film-making.

A Secret Talent

What are you secretly good at?

I naturally possess good with numbers. I retain numbers easier than I memorise words a lot of the time, I’ve just got a numerically-oriented mind. 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 finance.

The Finest Piece of Advice Given

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

During my time in secondary school, a speaker came to speak 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 so much more from failure than you learn from success. With success, you never really comprehends exactly how it happened. Failure, the lessons are so much more.