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During a revealing discussion, the acclaimed performer reflects on topics ranging from her latest role as a regal sea creature to the invaluable wisdom learned through theatrical mistakes and meeting admirers.

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; supposing you had the opportunity to be a fish for a day, which one would it be and why?

Straight away, that particular fish residing near Clovelly beach – since it is like an institution, and individuals visit to see it. It strikes me it’s cool that there’s a local fish that folks genuinely go and see 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 adore this film. During my childhood, it would air on television every now and again, and once I videotaped it. I just thought it was so funny. It stars Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Not long ago they were showing it at the Ritz and I discovered that it was the preferred movie of an acquaintance, and so we attended and simply chuckled and laughed. It’s such masterful work of humor and all the actors in it are fantastic. The director Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – which was not as effective. But the original film is a brilliant comedy, worth viewing regularly.

The Best Insight Gained Through a Co-Star

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

Years ago I performed in A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – now my spouse, but at the time we were not together. We were playing as scene partners 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 glancing toward him, and he completely saved me, and then our performance took off again and went really, really well. But I think what I learned in that moment was, firstly, consistently rely on the individuals you’re working with. If you don’t know your place, if you turn around and look at the actors sharing the stage with, you will find where you’re meant to be in some way. It is a profoundly collaborative endeavor, performing live. And next, just to have a sense of fun about it. Sometimes when a mistake occurs, things can ignite in a wonderfully positive way if you’re really present then. It can be an unexpected boon when things go absolutely awry.

Memorable Interactions with Admirers

Can you describe your most memorable encounter with a fan?

There isn't a single particular interaction but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I hear a lot of accounts 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 invariably regarding the stew her character prepares for Aragorn. “Did that stew taste as terrible as it looked?” It has evolved into such a joke, the entire episode about the stew, and all fans wish to know the contents of the stew, and how was it made, and do you think she’s a better cook now, or do you believe she really is a poor chef? People are, in my view, obsessed with the humour of that scene. And I provide great detail describing the ingredients that made up the concoction – because I remember what they did; such as put bits of colored thread to simulate the appearance like bits of veins in the meat. The crew employed extreme measures to render it as unappetizing as they could.

A Cringeworthy Star 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 instructor remarked, “Oh, Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I attempted some joke about, “might you be a journalist?” Because it’s an unusual name and often when I meet another Miranda, they’re a journalist. I wasn’t really seeing who it was. And as she rose, it was the actress Miranda Richardson. At that point, I didn’t know what to say. I was obliged to stay and do my class, and I experienced so embarrassed. I wished to explain: “Oh my gosh, I am aware of who you are!” I think her talent is immense and I was just too starstruck to say anything.

The Origin of a Moniker

Articles have repeatedly stated that you were named after 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 named after the Sydney suburb. Mum heard on the radio that they were inaugurating a shopping centre at Miranda, and she thought sounded like a pleasant choice.

Chaos on Location

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

When I was working in Brazil on Reaching for the Moon that was the most chaotic set of my career, and yet the final product turned out incredibly well. But the local crew operated in a distinct manner. The sense of time there is really different. Typically, you normally have a call sheet and must arrive on set by a certain time. But this was rather flexible – one would appear at one's convenience. It was a novel approach for me. The elements were all coming together at the very last minute, and sometimes the plan was unclear the next location or how we were going to do it. And then I would be in the middle of a scene and be like, “What was that noise that disturbed the scene? Oh, it’s a crew member opening a bottle during filming, because he’s making a party.” It turned out excellent, but goodness, it’s a really different style of film-making.

A Secret Skill

Do you have a secretly good at?

I naturally possess good with numbers. I memorise numbers more readily than I memorise words a lot of the time, I simply have a numerically-oriented mind. So I believe if I hadn’t ended up in acting, I probably would have entered a field involving numbers, like mathematics or accounting.

The Best Piece of Advice Ever Received

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

During my time in secondary school, someone addressed us when we were graduating and stated, “don’t be afraid to fail” … which I think is the best piece of advice, because you learn far more from setbacks than you learn from triumph. Success, one rarely understand precisely why it happened. With failure, the lessons are abundant.