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Through a thoughtful discussion, the acclaimed performer opens up on subjects as varied as her newest character as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the invaluable wisdom gleaned from theatrical mistakes and meeting admirers.

Given the Chance to Become a Fish for a Day

The most recent role is Queen of the Cuttlefish in The Pout-Pout Fish; if you could be a fish for a day, which one would you choose and why?

Straight away, that particular fish residing near Clovelly beach – since it is like an institution, and individuals visit to see it. I just think as remarkable that there’s a local fish that folks genuinely seek out and discuss – it’s a special fish.

A Cinematic Staple to Revisit

What film do you always return to, and why?

The 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I love this picture. When I was childhood, it would air on the ABC occasionally, and one time I videotaped it. I found it was hilarious. It stars Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Recently they were showing it at a cinema and I discovered that it was the preferred movie of a friend of mine, and so we went and just laughed repeatedly. It is a great piece of humor and all the actors in it are fantastic. Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – that wasn’t successful. But Lubitsch's version is a brilliant comedy, to be watched often.

A Priceless Insight Learned From a Co-Star

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

I was doing A Doll’s House with Pete – now my spouse, but at the time we were not together. We portrayed characters as scene partners and on opening night I stumbled – I skipped forward a few lines in the script. I was unaware of my error but I suddenly realised things were off. I recall glancing toward him, and he completely saved me, and then our performance took off again and went really, really well. However, I believe what I learned in that moment was, firstly, consistently rely on the people you’re working with. If you don’t know your place, by looking and look at the people you’re with, you can rediscover where you’re meant to be in some way. It’s such communal thing, acting on stage. And secondly, to maintain a lighthearted attitude about it. Sometimes when something goes wrong, things can ignite in a really great direction provided you are really present then. It may become an unexpected boon when things go completely awry.

Memorable Interactions with Admirers

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

There isn't a single specific meeting but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I am told numerous stories about how that character impacted them when they were growing up … things that had happened in their lives and how much that character meant to 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 specific question is always about the stew her character prepares for Aragorn. “Was the stew really that bad?” It’s become such a joke, 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 her skills improved now, or do you think she really is a bad cook? People are, in my view, fascinated by the humour of that scene. And I go into great detail listing the ingredients that made up the stew – because I remember what they did; like they even put bits of colored thread to simulate the appearance like blood vessels in the meat. They went to extreme measures to make it look as bad as they could.

An Awkward Celebrity Meeting

What’s been your most cringeworthy run-in with a famous person?

I was at a fitness session and there was a woman lying down exercising, and the teacher remarked, “Hello Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I made some joke inquiring, “might you be a journalist?” Since Miranda is an uncommon moniker and most of the time when someone’s a Miranda, they’re a journalist. I wasn’t really seeing who it was. And when she got up, it was the actress Miranda Richardson. At that point, I didn’t know what to say. I still had to stay and do my class, and I felt intense awkwardness. I wished to explain: “Goodness, I do know your work!” I consider her talent is immense and I was simply too awestruck to utter a syllable.

The Origin of a Name

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 settle the matter definitively?

Yes – I was christened for the Sydney suburb. Mum heard on the radio that they were opening a shopping centre at Miranda, and she thought seemed a nice name.

Chaos 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 least organized set I’ve ever worked on, and yet the film turned out brilliantly. But the local crew operated in a distinct manner. The sense of time there is unique. Typically, you receive a call sheet and you have to be on set punctually. But this was sort of open ended – you come on set at one's convenience. It was a novel way of working 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 was that noise that disturbed the scene? Oh, it’s the producer popping open a bottle on set, because he’s making a party.” It turned out excellent, but goodness, it’s a really different approach to film-making.

A Hidden Skill

Do you have a secretly good at?

I’ve always been an aptitude for numbers. I memorise numbers more readily than I memorise words often, I simply have a numerically-oriented mind. So I believe had I not ended up in acting, I probably would have entered a field something to do with numbers, like mathematics or accounting.

The Best Guidance Ever Received

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

When I was in secondary school, a speaker addressed us 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 so much more from setbacks than you learn from success. With success, you never really understand exactly how it happened. Failure, you learn abundant.