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Through a thoughtful conversation, the acclaimed performer reflects on subjects as varied as her newest character as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the profound lessons gleaned from theatrical mistakes and meeting admirers.

If You Could Be a Fish for a Day

Your latest character portrays Queen 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?

Without hesitation, the blue groper found at Clovelly beach – since it is like an institution, and people go there to see it. I just think as remarkable that a resident aquatic creature that folks genuinely seek out and talk about – it holds a unique status.

A Cinematic 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 picture. When I was childhood, it used to come on television occasionally, and one time I videotaped it. I just thought it was hilarious. It’s Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Recently 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 repeatedly. It is a great piece of comedy and all the actors in it are superb. The director Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – which was not successful. But the original film is a brilliant comedy, to be watched often.

A Priceless Lesson Gained Through a Fellow Actor

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

I was doing A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – now my spouse, but at the time we were not a couple. We portrayed characters opposite each other and on opening night I stumbled – I skipped forward a few lines in the script. I was unaware of my error but I abruptly sensed things were off. I remember looking at him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then the scene took off again and went really, really well. However, I believe the insight gained then was, firstly, consistently rely on the people you’re working with. When you lose where you are, by looking and look at the people sharing the stage with, you will find where you’re meant to be somehow. It’s such collaborative endeavor, performing live. And next, just to have a sense of fun about it. Occasionally when a mistake occurs, things actually spark off in a really great way if you’re fully engaged in that moment. It can be an unexpected boon when things go absolutely awry.

Heartening Interactions with Admirers

What’s been your most touching 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 hear a lot of stories about what Eowyn impacted them when they were growing up … events that occurred in their lives and the extent to which Eowyn meant to them and was a form of support to them in those times.

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

The most detailed inquiry concerns always about the stew that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Did that stew taste really that bad?” It has evolved into a running gag, the entire episode involving that dish, and everyone wants to know the contents of the pot, and how was it made, and do you think she’s a better cook now, or do you believe she really is a bad cook? People are, I think, fascinated by the comedy of that scene. And I provide great detail describing the components that made up the stew – because I remember what they did; such as adding pieces of red cotton to simulate the appearance like bits of veins in the meat. They went to great detail to render it as unappetizing as they could.

An Awkward Celebrity Meeting

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

I was at a fitness session and another participant lying down doing pilates, and the instructor remarked, “Oh, Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I made a lighthearted remark about, “might you be a journalist?” Because it’s an unusual name and often when someone’s a Miranda, they work in media. I hadn't properly identified her. And when she got up, it was the actress Miranda Richardson. Then I was at a loss for words. I was obliged to stay and do my class, and I felt intense awkwardness. I wished to explain: “Oh my gosh, I am aware of your work!” I think she’s so fabulous and I was just too starstruck to utter a syllable.

The Source 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 stating otherwise – can you settle the matter once and for all?

Indeed, I was christened for a district in Sydney. My mother learned via broadcast that they were inaugurating a mall at Miranda, and the name seemed a nice name.

Pandemonium 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 I experienced 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. The sense of time there is really different. In Australia, you normally have a schedule and must arrive on set by a certain time. But this was sort of open ended – one would appear at one's convenience. It was a novel way of working for me. The elements were being assembled at the final moment, 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 just interrupted the scene? Ah, it was a crew member opening some champagne during filming, to start a party.” The result was excellent, but wow, it’s a distinct approach to film-making.

A Hidden Skill

Do you have a secretly good at?

I’ve always been 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 likely might have worked in involving numbers, like mathematics or finance.

The Finest Piece of Advice Ever Received

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

When I was in high school, a speaker addressed us as we were graduating and they said, “don’t be afraid to fail” … which I think 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 precisely why it happened. With failure, you learn so much more.