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Through a thoughtful interview, the acclaimed performer delves on topics ranging from her latest role as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the profound lessons gleaned from theatrical mistakes and fan interactions.

If You Could Be a Sea Creature 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?

Straight away, that particular fish found at a specific shoreline – because it’s like an institution, and individuals visit to see it. I just think it’s cool that there’s a local fish that people actually go and see and talk about – it’s a special fish.

A Film Staple to Revisit

What film do you repeatedly watch, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I love this film. When I was growing up, it used to come on the ABC every now and again, and one time I recorded it. I just thought it was hilarious. It’s Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Recently they were showing it at the Ritz and I discovered that it was also the favourite film of a friend of mine, and so we went and simply chuckled and laughed. It is a masterful work of humor and all the actors in it are fantastic. Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – which was not successful. But Lubitsch's version is an exceptional farce, worth viewing often.

A Priceless Insight Learned From a Co-Star

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

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 portrayed characters opposite each other and on opening night I stumbled – I skipped forward 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 expertly rescued the moment, and then our performance regained momentum and went really, really well. But I think what I learned in that moment was, firstly, always trust the people in your scene. When you lose where you are, if you turn around and toward the people sharing the stage with, you can rediscover where you’re meant to be in some way. It’s such communal thing, performing live. And secondly, just to have a sense of fun about it. Sometimes when something goes wrong, things actually spark off in a wonderfully positive way provided you are fully engaged in that moment. It can be a gift when things go absolutely awry.

Heartening Exchanges with Admirers

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

There isn't just one specific meeting but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I am told numerous stories about what Eowyn meant to them when they were growing up … things that had happened in their lives and how much that character signified for them and was a form of support to them during those periods.

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

The most detailed question is always about the stew 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 do you think she’s a better cook now, or do you believe she really is a bad cook? Fans seem, in my view, fascinated by the humour of that scene. And I go into great detail listing the ingredients that made up the concoction – because I remember what they did; like they even adding pieces of colored thread to simulate the appearance like bits of veins in the meat. The crew employed extreme measures to make it look as bad as they could.

An Awkward 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, meet Miranda.” And I attempted some joke inquiring, “might you be a journalist?” Since Miranda is an unusual name and often when I meet another Miranda, they work in media. I wasn’t really identified her. And as she rose, it was Miranda Richardson. Then I didn’t know words. I still had to complete my class, and I felt intense awkwardness. I wanted to say: “Oh my gosh, I do know who you are!” I consider she’s so fabulous and I was simply too awestruck to say anything.

The Origin of a Moniker

It’s been 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 clarify this definitively?

Indeed, I was christened for a district in Sydney. Mum heard on the radio that they were inaugurating a shopping centre at Miranda, and she thought seemed a nice name.

Pandemonium on Location

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

While working in Brazil for the film Reaching for the Moon I experienced the least organized set of my career, and yet the final product emerged incredibly well. But the local crew operated in a distinct manner. The sense 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 – one would appear whenever you happen to be ready. It was a really different 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 I would be in the middle of a scene and wondering, “What was that noise that disturbed the scene? Ah, it was the producer opening some champagne on set, because he’s making a party.” The result was great, but wow, it’s a really different style of film-making.

A Hidden Talent

What are you secretly good at?

I naturally possess an aptitude for numbers. I retain numbers more readily than I learn dialogue a lot of the time, I simply have a numerically-oriented mind. So I believe if I hadn’t pursued acting, I probably would have worked in involving numbers, like math or finance.

The Finest Piece of Advice Given

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

When I was 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 far more from failure than is gained from triumph. Success, one rarely understand exactly how it happened. With failure, you learn abundant.