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During a revealing interview, the acclaimed performer reflects on subjects as varied as her latest role as a regal sea creature to the invaluable wisdom learned through onstage mishaps and meeting admirers.

Given the Chance to Become a Fish for a Day

The most recent 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?

Without hesitation, that particular fish found at a specific shoreline – since it is a local landmark, and individuals visit specifically to spot it. It strikes me it’s cool that there’s a local fish that people actually seek out and discuss – it’s a special fish.

A Film Staple to Revisit

Which movie do you repeatedly watch, 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 so funny. It stars Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Not long ago they were showing it at a cinema and it turned out that it was the preferred movie of a friend of mine, and so we attended 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 – that wasn’t successful. But Lubitsch's version is a brilliant comedy, worth viewing regularly.

A Priceless Lesson Learned From a Fellow Actor

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

Years ago I performed in A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – my husband now, but back then we were not together. We were playing opposite each other and during the premiere 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 looking at him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then the scene regained momentum and went really, really well. However, I believe what I learned then was, first, always trust the individuals you’re working with. When you lose where you are, by looking and toward the actors sharing the stage with, you can rediscover where you’re meant to be in some way. It’s such collaborative endeavor, performing live. And secondly, to maintain a sense of fun regarding it. Occasionally when a mistake occurs, things actually spark off in a wonderfully positive way if you’re really present in that moment. It can be a gift when things go absolutely the wrong way.

Memorable Exchanges with Admirers

Can you describe your most memorable encounter with a fan?

It’s not just one specific meeting but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I am told numerous accounts about how that character impacted them when they were younger … events that occurred 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 about the most by Lord of the Rings fans?

The most specific inquiry concerns invariably regarding the stew her character prepares for Aragorn. “Did that stew taste really that bad?” It’s become such a joke, the whole thing involving that dish, and all fans wish to know the contents of the pot, and its preparation method, and do you think she’s a better cook now, or do you believe she really is a bad cook? Fans seem, I think, obsessed with the comedy of that scene. And I go into lengthy descriptions describing the components that made up the concoction – as I recall what they did; like they even put bits of colored thread to simulate the appearance like blood vessels in the meat. They went to great detail to render it as bad as possible.

A Cringeworthy Celebrity Encounter

What’s been your most embarrassing celebrity encounter?

I attended a pilates class and there was a woman on a mat exercising, and the teacher said to me, “Oh, Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I made a lighthearted remark inquiring, “might you be a journalist?” Since Miranda is an uncommon moniker and often when I meet another Miranda, they work in media. I hadn't properly 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 stay and do my class, and I felt 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 you saying otherwise – can you clarify this definitively?

Yes – I was named after a district in Sydney. My mother learned via broadcast that they were inaugurating a shopping centre at Miranda, and she thought sounded like a pleasant choice.

Chaos on Set

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

When I was working in Brazil for the film Reaching for the Moon I experienced the least organized set of my career, and yet the final product emerged brilliantly. But the local crew operated in such a different way. The sense of time there is unique. Typically, you receive a schedule and must arrive on set by a certain time. But this was rather flexible – you come on set whenever you happen to be ready. It was a really different way of working for me. The elements were being assembled at the final moment, and sometimes the plan was unclear where they were shooting the next day how we were going to do it. And then you’d be in the middle of a scene and be like, “What caused that sound that disturbed the scene? Oh, it’s a crew member opening some champagne on set, because he’s making a party.” The result was great, but goodness, it’s a distinct approach to film-making.

A Hidden Talent

Do you have a secretly good at?

I’ve always been good with 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 had I not pursued acting, I likely might have entered a field something to do with numbers, like math or accounting.

The Finest Piece of Advice Given

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

During my time in high school, someone came to speak when we were graduating and they said, “have no fear to fail” … an idea I consider is supremely valuable counsel, because you learn so much more from failure than you learn from triumph. Success, you never really comprehends exactly how it happened. With failure, you learn abundant.