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Through a thoughtful conversation, the acclaimed performer delves on subjects as varied as her newest character as a regal sea creature to the invaluable wisdom gleaned from onstage mishaps and meeting admirers.

If You Could Be a Fish for a Day

The most recent role is the monarch 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 found at Clovelly beach – since it is a local landmark, and people go there specifically to spot it. It strikes me it’s cool that there’s a local fish that people actually go and see and discuss – it’s a special fish.

A Cinematic Staple to Return To

Which movie do you repeatedly watch, and why?

The 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I love this film. When I was growing up, it used to come on television occasionally, and one time I recorded it. I just thought it was hilarious. It stars Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Not long ago they were playing it at a cinema and I discovered that it was also the favourite film of an acquaintance, and so we went and just laughed and laughed. It’s such great piece of humor and all the actors in it are superb. Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – that wasn’t as effective. But the original film is an exceptional farce, to be watched often.

A Priceless Lesson Gained Through a Co-Star

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

Years ago I performed in A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – my husband now, but back then we were not together. We portrayed characters as scene partners and on opening night I tripped up – I skipped forward a few lines in the script. I was unaware what I’d done but I suddenly realised things were off. I remember looking at him, and he completely saved me, and then the scene regained momentum and went really, really well. But I think what I learned then was, firstly, consistently rely on the people you’re working with. If you don’t know your place, by looking and look at the people sharing the stage with, you will find your correct position in some way. It is a profoundly communal thing, acting on stage. And secondly, just to have a sense of fun about it. Sometimes when a mistake occurs, things can ignite in a wonderfully positive way provided you are really present in that moment. It may become an unexpected boon when things go absolutely awry.

Memorable Exchanges with Admirers

Can you describe your most touching encounter with a fan?

It’s not just one 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 … events that occurred in their lives and how much Eowyn meant to 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 inquiry concerns invariably regarding that infamous meal that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Was the stew as terrible as it looked?” It’s become 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 in your opinion her skills improved now, or do you believe she really is a poor chef? Fans seem, I think, obsessed with the humour of that situation. And I go into lengthy descriptions listing the components that constituted the stew – because I remember what they did; like they even adding pieces of colored thread to make it look like blood vessels in the meat. The crew employed great detail to render it as bad as possible.

A Cringeworthy Celebrity Meeting

What was your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I attended a fitness session and there was a woman on a mat doing pilates, and the instructor remarked, “Oh, Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I made a lighthearted remark about, “oh, are you a journalist?” Because it’s an uncommon moniker and often when I meet another Miranda, they work in media. I hadn't properly seeing who it was. And as she rose, it was Miranda Richardson. Then I didn’t know words. I still had to stay and do my class, and I experienced so embarrassed. I wanted to say: “Oh my gosh, I am aware of your work!” I think her talent is immense and I was simply too awestruck to utter a syllable.

The Source of a Moniker

Articles have confidently claimed that you were given your name from Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet I’ve read you saying otherwise – can you settle the matter definitively?

Yes – I was christened for a district in Sydney. Mum heard on the radio that they were opening a shopping centre at that location, and the name sounded like a nice name.

Pandemonium 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 that was the most chaotic set I’ve ever worked on, and yet the film turned out incredibly well. But the local crew operated in a distinct manner. Their concept of time there is really different. Typically, you receive a call sheet and you have to be on set by a certain time. But this was rather open ended – one would appear whenever you happen to be ready. It was a novel way of working for me. The elements were being assembled at the very last minute, and sometimes the plan was unclear where they were shooting the next day how we were going to do it. And then you’d be in the middle of a scene and wondering, “What was that noise that just interrupted the scene? Oh, it’s the producer opening a bottle during filming, because he’s making a party.” The result was excellent, but wow, it’s a really different approach to film-making.

A Secret Talent

Do you have a secretly good at?

I naturally possess good with numbers. I memorise numbers easier than I memorise words a lot of the time, I’ve just got that kind of a brain. So I think if I hadn’t ended up in acting, I probably would have worked in involving numbers, like mathematics or finance.

The Finest Piece of Advice Given

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

During my time in secondary 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, because you learn so much more from setbacks than you learn from triumph. With success, one rarely comprehends precisely why it happened. Failure, you learn abundant.