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During a revealing conversation, the acclaimed performer delves on topics ranging from her latest role as a regal sea creature to the profound lessons gleaned from theatrical mistakes and fan interactions.

Given the Chance to Become a Sea Creature for a Day

The most recent character portrays 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, that particular fish residing near a specific shoreline – because it’s a local landmark, and individuals visit to see it. It strikes me it’s cool that there’s a local fish that folks genuinely seek out and talk about – it holds a unique status.

A Cinematic Favorite to Revisit

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 would air on television every now and again, and once I recorded it. I just thought it was hilarious. It stars the legendary Carole Lombard and 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 went and simply chuckled repeatedly. It is a great piece of humor and all the actors in it are fantastic. 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 Co-Star

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

I was doing A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – now my spouse, but at the time we were not a couple. We were playing as scene partners and during the premiere I tripped up – I skipped forward a few lines in the script. I was unaware what I’d done but I abruptly sensed something wasn’t right. I recall looking at him, and he completely saved me, and then the scene regained momentum and proceeded splendidly. But I think what I learned then was, first, consistently rely on the people in your scene. When you lose where you are, if you turn around and toward the people you’re with, you can rediscover your correct position somehow. It is a profoundly collaborative endeavor, performing live. And secondly, just to have a lighthearted attitude about it. Sometimes when something goes wrong, things actually spark off in a wonderfully positive way provided you are really present in that moment. It can be an unexpected boon when things go completely the wrong way.

Heartening Interactions with Fans

Can you describe your most touching interaction with a fan?

It’s not just one particular interaction 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 … events that occurred in their lives and the extent to which Eowyn signified for them and was some kind of help to them in those times.

What do you get asked about the most 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 such a joke, the whole thing involving that dish, and everyone wants to know what was in the pot, and its preparation method, and in your opinion she’s a better cook now, or do you believe she really is a poor chef? Fans seem, in my view, obsessed with the humour of that situation. And I provide lengthy descriptions listing the ingredients 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 extreme measures to render it as unappetizing as possible.

An Awkward Celebrity Encounter

What was your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I attended a pilates class and another participant lying down exercising, and the instructor 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’re a journalist. I wasn’t really identified her. And as she rose, it was the actress Miranda Richardson. At that point, I was at a loss for what to say. I was obliged to stay and do my class, and I experienced intense awkwardness. I wanted to say: “Oh my gosh, I do know your work!” I think her talent is immense and I was just too starstruck to say anything.

The Origin of a Moniker

It’s been confidently claimed that you were named after Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet I’ve read you saying otherwise – can you clarify this once and for all?

Yes – I was christened for the Sydney suburb. Mum learned via broadcast that they were inaugurating a mall at Miranda, and the name seemed a pleasant choice.

Chaos 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 least organized set I’ve ever worked on, and yet the film emerged brilliantly. But they just work in such a different way. Their concept of time there is really different. Typically, you normally have a schedule and must arrive on set by a certain time. But this was rather flexible – one would appear at one's convenience. It was a really different way of working for me. The elements were all coming together at the final moment, and sometimes the plan was unclear where they were shooting or the methodology. And then I would be in the middle of a scene and be like, “What was that noise that just interrupted the scene? Ah, it was a crew member opening some champagne during filming, because he’s making a party.” It turned out great, but wow, it’s a really different style of film-making.

A Hidden Skill

What are you secretly good at?

I naturally possess good with numbers. I retain numbers more readily than I learn dialogue often, I’ve just got a numerically-oriented mind. So I think if I hadn’t pursued acting, I likely might have entered a field involving numbers, like mathematics or accounting.

The Best 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” … which I think is supremely valuable counsel, because you learn far more from failure than is gained from success. Success, one rarely comprehends precisely why it happened. Failure, the lessons are abundant.