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During a revealing conversation, the acclaimed performer opens up on topics ranging from her newest character as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the profound lessons learned through onstage mishaps and fan interactions.

If You Could Be a Fish for a Day

Your latest role is Queen 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, the blue groper residing near Clovelly beach – since it is a local landmark, and people go there to see it. It strikes me it’s cool that there’s a local fish that folks genuinely seek out and talk about – it’s a special fish.

A Cinematic Staple to Revisit

Which movie do you repeatedly watch, and why?

The 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I love this film. When I was childhood, it used to come on television occasionally, and once I recorded it. I found it was hilarious. It’s Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Recently they were showing it at the Ritz and I discovered that it was also the favourite film of an acquaintance, and so we attended and just laughed and laughed. It’s such masterful work of humor and all the actors in it are superb. Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – which was not successful. But Lubitsch's version is an exceptional farce, to be watched regularly.

A Priceless Insight Gained Through a Co-Star

What is the most valuable 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 were playing opposite each other and on opening night I tripped up – I skipped forward some dialogue in the script. I was unaware what I’d done but I suddenly realised something wasn’t right. I remember looking at him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then the scene took off again and went really, really well. But I think what I learned in that moment was, firstly, consistently rely on the people in your scene. If you don’t know your place, by looking and look at the people you’re with, you can rediscover your correct position somehow. It is a profoundly communal thing, performing live. And secondly, to maintain a lighthearted attitude about it. Occasionally when a mistake occurs, things can ignite in a really great way provided you are fully engaged in that moment. It can be a gift when things go completely the wrong way.

Heartening Interactions with Fans

Can you describe your most touching interaction with a fan?

There isn't just one particular interaction but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I hear a lot of accounts about how that character impacted them when they were growing up … things that had happened in their lives and the extent to which that character signified for 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 specific inquiry concerns invariably regarding the stew her character prepares for Aragorn. “Was the stew really that bad?” It’s become a running gag, the entire episode involving that dish, and all fans wish to know what was in the stew, and its preparation method, and in your opinion her skills improved now, or do you think she really is a bad cook? People are, I think, fascinated by the humour of that situation. And I go into great detail describing the ingredients that constituted the stew – because I remember the efforts made; such as put bits of red cotton to make it look like blood vessels in the meat. They went to great detail to render it as unappetizing as they could.

An Awkward Celebrity Meeting

What’s been your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I attended a pilates class and there was a woman lying down exercising, and the instructor said to me, “Hello Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I attempted a lighthearted remark about, “oh, are you a journalist?” Because it’s an unusual name and often when I meet another Miranda, they’re a journalist. I wasn’t really identified her. And as she rose, it was Miranda Richardson. At that point, I was at a loss for words. I still had to complete my class, and I experienced intense awkwardness. I wanted to say: “Oh my gosh, 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 you've mentioned stating otherwise – can you clarify this definitively?

Indeed, I was christened for a district in Sydney. Mum heard on the radio that they were inaugurating a shopping centre at Miranda, and the name sounded like a pleasant choice.

Pandemonium on Set

What was the 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 of my career, and yet the film emerged incredibly well. But they just work in a distinct manner. Their concept of time there is unique. Typically, you receive a call sheet and must arrive on set by a certain time. But this was rather open ended – you come on set whenever you happen to be ready. It was a novel approach for me. All aspects were all coming together at the very last minute, and sometimes they wouldn’t know the next location or the methodology. And then you’d be in during a scene and wondering, “What caused that sound that disturbed the scene? Oh, it’s a crew member opening a bottle during filming, because he’s making a party.” It turned out great, but goodness, it’s a really different style of film-making.

A Hidden Skill

What are you secretly good at?

I’ve always been an aptitude for numbers. I retain numbers more readily than I memorise words a lot of the time, I’ve just got a numerically-oriented mind. So I believe if I hadn’t pursued acting, I likely might have entered a field something to do with numbers, like math or finance.

The Finest Piece of Advice Given

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

During my time in secondary school, a speaker came to speak when we were graduating and stated, “don’t be afraid to fail” … which I think is supremely valuable counsel, since one gains so much more from setbacks than you learn from success. Success, you never really understand exactly how it happened. Failure, you learn so much more.