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During a revealing discussion, the acclaimed performer delves on subjects as varied as her latest role as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the invaluable wisdom gleaned from theatrical mistakes and meeting admirers.

If You Could Be a Fish for a Day

Your latest 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. It strikes me as remarkable that there’s a local fish that people actually go and see and talk about – it’s a special fish.

A Cinematic Favorite to Revisit

Which movie do you always return to, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this film. During my growing up, it used to come on television occasionally, and once I recorded it. I just thought it was so funny. It’s the legendary Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Recently they were showing it at the Ritz and it turned out that it was also the favourite film of a friend of mine, and so we attended and simply chuckled and laughed. It is a masterful work of comedy and the entire cast in it are fantastic. Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – that wasn’t as effective. But the original film is an exceptional farce, to be watched regularly.

The Best Insight Gained Through 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 with Pete – my husband now, but back then we were not together. We were playing opposite each other and during the premiere I tripped up – I jumped ahead some dialogue in the script. I was unaware what I’d done but I abruptly sensed things were off. I remember glancing toward him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then the scene regained momentum and went really, really well. But I think the insight gained then was, firstly, always trust the individuals in your scene. When you lose your place, if you turn around and look at the people sharing the stage with, you can rediscover where you’re meant to be somehow. It is a profoundly collaborative endeavor, performing live. And secondly, to maintain a lighthearted attitude regarding it. Sometimes when a mistake occurs, things can ignite in a wonderfully positive direction provided you are fully engaged in that moment. It may become a gift when things go completely the wrong way.

Memorable Exchanges with Fans

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

It’s not just one specific meeting but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I hear a lot of accounts about how that character meant to them when they were growing up … things that had happened in their lives and the extent to which that character meant to them and was a form of support to them in those times.

Which questions get asked most frequently by Lord of the Rings fans?

The most specific question is always about the stew that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Did that stew taste really that bad?” It’s become such a joke, the entire episode involving that dish, and everyone wants to know what was in the stew, and its preparation method, and do you think her skills improved now, or do you believe she really is a poor chef? People are, I think, fascinated by the comedy of that situation. And I go into lengthy descriptions describing the ingredients that constituted the stew – as I recall what they did; such as put bits of colored thread to simulate the appearance like bits of veins in the meat. They went to extreme measures to make it look as unappetizing as possible.

An Awkward Star Encounter

What was your most embarrassing celebrity encounter?

I was at a pilates class and there was a woman on a mat exercising, and the instructor remarked, “Hello Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I made a lighthearted remark about, “might you be a journalist?” Because it’s 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. Then I didn’t know what to say. I still had to complete my class, and I experienced so embarrassed. I wanted to say: “Goodness, I am aware of your work!” I think she’s so fabulous and I was just too starstruck to utter a syllable.

The Origin of a Name

Articles have 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 clarify this once and for all?

Yes – I was christened for the Sydney suburb. My mother learned via broadcast that they were inaugurating a shopping centre at Miranda, and she thought 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 I experienced the most chaotic set of my career, and yet the final product turned out brilliantly. But the local crew operated in such a different way. 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 rather flexible – one would appear whenever you happen to be ready. It was a really different approach for me. All aspects were being assembled at the final moment, and at times they wouldn’t know where they were shooting the next day how we were going to do it. And then you’d be in during a scene and wondering, “What caused that sound that disturbed the scene? Ah, it was the producer popping open some champagne on set, to start a party.” It turned out excellent, but wow, it’s a distinct style of film-making.

A Secret Talent

What are you secretly good at?

I naturally possess good with numbers. I retain numbers more readily 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 likely might have entered a field something to do with numbers, like math or accounting.

The Best Guidance Given

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

When I was in secondary school, a speaker addressed us as we were graduating and they said, “have no fear to fail” … which I think is supremely valuable counsel, because you learn far more from setbacks than you learn from triumph. With success, one rarely understand precisely why it happened. With failure, you learn abundant.