🔗 Share this article

In a candid interview, the acclaimed performer opens up on subjects as varied as her latest role as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the invaluable wisdom learned through theatrical mistakes 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 found at a specific shoreline – because it’s a local landmark, and people go there specifically to spot it. It strikes me as remarkable that a resident aquatic creature that people actually go and see and talk about – it’s a special fish.

A Film Staple to Revisit

What film do you always return to, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this film. When I was childhood, it used to come on television every now and again, and one time I videotaped it. I just thought it was so funny. It’s the legendary Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Not long ago they were showing it at the Ritz and it turned out that it was the preferred movie 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. The director Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – which was not successful. But the original film is an exceptional farce, worth viewing often.

The Best Lesson Learned From a Fellow Actor

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

Years ago I performed in A Doll’s House with Pete – now my spouse, but back then we were not together. We portrayed characters opposite each other and during the premiere I tripped up – I jumped ahead a few lines in the script. I didn’t know of my error but I suddenly realised things were off. I recall looking at him, and he completely saved me, and then our performance took off again and proceeded splendidly. But I think what I learned then was, firstly, always trust the individuals in your scene. If you don’t know your place, by looking and toward the people you’re with, you can rediscover your correct position somehow. It’s such collaborative endeavor, acting on stage. And secondly, to maintain a sense of fun regarding it. Sometimes when a mistake occurs, things actually spark off in a wonderfully positive direction provided you are really present then. It can be a gift when things go absolutely awry.

Memorable Interactions with Fans

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

There isn't a single specific meeting but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I hear a lot of accounts about how that character impacted them when they were growing up … things that had happened 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 specific question is always about that infamous meal her character prepares for Aragorn. “Was the stew really that bad?” It has evolved into such a joke, the whole thing 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 think she really is a poor chef? People are, I think, obsessed with the comedy of that scene. And I provide lengthy descriptions listing the components that made up the stew – because I remember what they did; such as adding pieces of red cotton to make it look like blood vessels in the meat. They went to great detail to make it look as unappetizing as possible.

A Cringeworthy Celebrity Meeting

What’s been your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I attended a fitness session and there was a woman on a mat exercising, and the teacher said to me, “Oh, Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I attempted a lighthearted remark about, “oh, are you a journalist?” Since Miranda is an uncommon moniker and often when someone’s a Miranda, they work in media. I wasn’t really seeing who it was. And as she rose, it was the actress Miranda Richardson. At that point, 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 think she’s so fabulous and I was simply too awestruck to utter a syllable.

The Origin of a Name

It’s been repeatedly stated that you were named after Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet I’ve read you saying 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 opening a mall at that location, and the name sounded like a pleasant choice.

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 I experienced the least organized set I’ve ever worked on, and yet the final product turned out brilliantly. But they just work in a distinct manner. Their concept of time there is really different. Typically, you receive a call sheet and must arrive on set by a certain time. But this was sort of flexible – one would appear whenever you happen to be ready. It was a novel approach for me. The elements were being assembled at the final moment, and sometimes they wouldn’t know 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 be like, “What caused that sound that just interrupted the scene? Ah, it was a crew member opening a bottle during filming, to start a party.” It turned out excellent, but wow, it’s a distinct style of film-making.

A Hidden Skill

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’ve just got that kind of a brain. So I believe if I hadn’t ended up in acting, I probably would have entered a field involving numbers, like math or accounting.

The Best Piece of Advice Given

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

During my time in high school, someone came to speak as we were graduating and they said, “have no fear to fail” … an idea I consider is the best piece of advice, since one gains so much more from setbacks than you learn from success. With success, one rarely comprehends precisely why it happened. With failure, the lessons are so much more.