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In a candid discussion, the acclaimed performer opens up on topics ranging from her newest character as a regal sea creature to the profound lessons gleaned from onstage mishaps and fan interactions.

If You Could Be a Fish for a Day

Your latest role is the monarch of the cuttlefish in The Pout-Pout Fish; supposing you had the opportunity to be a fish for a day, which one would you choose and why?

Straight away, that particular fish residing near Clovelly beach – since it is a local landmark, and people go there specifically to spot it. It strikes me as remarkable that a resident aquatic creature that folks genuinely seek out and discuss – it holds a unique status.

A Cinematic Favorite to Return To

Which movie do you always return to, and why?

The 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I love this picture. When I was growing up, it would air on the ABC occasionally, and one time I videotaped it. I found it was so funny. It stars Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Not long ago they were playing it at the Ritz and it turned out that it was the preferred movie of an acquaintance, and so we attended and simply chuckled and laughed. It is a great piece of humor and the entire cast in it are fantastic. The director Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – that wasn’t successful. But the original film is an exceptional farce, worth viewing regularly.

A Priceless Insight Gained Through a Fellow Actor

What’s the best lesson you took away from someone you’ve worked with?

I was doing A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – my husband now, but back then we were not a couple. We portrayed characters opposite each other and during the premiere I stumbled – I jumped ahead some dialogue in the script. I was unaware of my error but I suddenly realised things were off. I remember glancing toward him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then our performance took off again and went really, really well. However, I believe what I learned in that moment was, first, consistently rely on the individuals in your scene. If you don’t know where you are, if you turn around and look at the people you’re with, you can rediscover where you’re meant to be somehow. It’s such collaborative endeavor, acting on stage. And secondly, to maintain a sense of fun regarding it. Occasionally when something goes wrong, things actually spark off in a wonderfully positive direction if you’re fully engaged then. It can be an unexpected boon when things go absolutely awry.

Heartening Interactions with Fans

Can you describe your most touching interaction with a fan?

It’s not a single specific meeting but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I hear a lot of stories about what Eowyn impacted them when they were younger … events that occurred in their lives and how much that character meant to them and was some kind of help to them during those periods.

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

The most specific question is invariably regarding that infamous meal her character prepares for Aragorn. “Was the stew really that bad?” It has evolved into a running gag, the entire episode about the stew, and all fans wish to know what was in the stew, and its preparation method, and in your opinion her skills improved now, or do you believe she really is a poor chef? Fans seem, in my view, fascinated by the humour of that situation. And I go into lengthy descriptions listing the ingredients that constituted the concoction – because I remember the efforts made; like they even adding pieces of red cotton to simulate the appearance like blood vessels in the meat. The crew employed great detail to render it as bad as they could.

A Cringeworthy Celebrity Meeting

What’s been your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I attended a fitness session and another participant on a mat doing pilates, and the teacher remarked, “Hello Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I made a lighthearted remark inquiring, “oh, are you a journalist?” Since Miranda is an uncommon moniker and most of the time when someone’s a Miranda, they work in media. I hadn't properly seeing who it was. And when she got up, it was the actress Miranda Richardson. Then I was at a loss for what to say. I still had to stay and do my class, and I felt so embarrassed. I wanted to say: “Oh my gosh, I do know your work!” I consider her talent is immense and I was just too starstruck to utter a syllable.

The Source of a Moniker

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 christened for the Sydney suburb. Mum learned via broadcast that they were opening a shopping centre at that location, and the name seemed a pleasant choice.

Chaos on Set

What’s the most 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 film turned out incredibly well. But the local crew operated in a distinct manner. Their concept of time there is unique. In Australia, you receive a schedule and you have to be on set punctually. But this was sort of open ended – you come on set at one's convenience. It was a novel approach for me. The elements were all coming together at the final moment, and at times the plan was unclear the next location or the methodology. And then I would be in during a scene and wondering, “What was that noise that disturbed the scene? Oh, it’s a crew member popping open a bottle during filming, to start a party.” It turned out great, but goodness, it’s a really different style of film-making.

A Secret Skill

What are you secretly good at?

I’ve always been good with numbers. I retain numbers easier than I memorise words often, I’ve just got a numerically-oriented mind. So I think if I hadn’t ended up in acting, I probably would have worked in something to do with numbers, like math or finance.

The Best Piece of Advice Given

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

When I was in secondary school, someone addressed us as we were graduating and stated, “have no fear to fail” … which I think is the best piece of advice, since one gains so much more from setbacks than you learn from triumph. With success, one rarely understand exactly how it happened. Failure, you learn abundant.