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

If You Could Be a Sea Creature for a Day

The most recent character portrays 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, that particular fish residing near Clovelly beach – since it is a local landmark, and individuals visit to see it. I just think as remarkable that a resident aquatic creature that folks genuinely go and see and discuss – it’s a special fish.

A Film Favorite to Revisit

What film do you always return to, and why?

The 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this picture. During my growing up, it used to come on the ABC every now and again, and one time I videotaped it. I just thought it was so funny. It stars the legendary Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Not long ago they were showing it at a cinema and I discovered that it was the preferred movie of a friend of mine, and so we attended and just laughed and laughed. It is a great piece of comedy and the entire cast in it are fantastic. Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – that wasn’t successful. But Lubitsch's version is an exceptional farce, worth viewing regularly.

A Priceless Lesson Gained Through a Fellow Actor

What is the most valuable lesson you took away from someone a colleague?

Years ago I performed in A Doll’s House with Pete – my husband now, but back then we were not a couple. We portrayed characters as scene partners and on opening night I stumbled – I jumped ahead a few lines in the script. I didn’t know what I’d done but I suddenly realised something wasn’t right. I recall looking at him, and he completely saved me, and then our performance regained momentum and proceeded splendidly. But I think the insight gained in that moment was, first, consistently rely on the people you’re working with. If you don’t know where you are, if you turn around and toward the people sharing the stage with, you will find your correct position somehow. It is a profoundly collaborative endeavor, acting on stage. And secondly, to maintain a lighthearted attitude regarding it. Sometimes when something goes wrong, things actually spark off in a really great direction provided you are fully engaged in that moment. It can be a gift when things go absolutely the wrong way.

Heartening Exchanges with Admirers

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

There isn't a single specific meeting but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I hear a lot of stories about what Eowyn impacted them when they were growing up … events that occurred in their lives and how much Eowyn 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 invariably regarding the stew that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Did that stew taste really that bad?” It has evolved into 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 in your opinion she’s a better cook now, or do you think she really is a poor chef? Fans seem, in my view, obsessed with the humour of that scene. And I go into great detail listing the ingredients that made up the stew – as I recall the efforts made; like they even adding pieces of red cotton to simulate the appearance like blood vessels in the meat. They went to extreme measures to make it look as unappetizing as possible.

An Awkward Celebrity Encounter

What was your most embarrassing celebrity encounter?

I was at a fitness session and another participant on a mat exercising, and the instructor remarked, “Hello Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I made a lighthearted remark inquiring, “oh, are you a journalist?” Since Miranda is an unusual name and most of the time when someone’s a Miranda, they’re a journalist. I wasn’t really identified her. And as she rose, it was Miranda Richardson. Then I didn’t know what to say. I still had to complete my class, and I experienced intense awkwardness. I wanted to say: “Goodness, I do know who you are!” I think she’s so fabulous and I was just too starstruck to say anything.

The Source of a Name

Articles have confidently claimed that you were named after Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet you've mentioned stating otherwise – can you settle the matter definitively?

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

Chaos on Location

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 that was the most chaotic set of my career, and yet the film emerged incredibly well. But they just work in such a different way. The sense of time there is really different. Typically, you normally have a schedule and must arrive on set by a certain time. But this was rather open ended – you come on set at one's convenience. It was a novel way of working for me. The elements were being assembled at the final moment, and sometimes the plan was unclear where they were shooting or the methodology. And then you’d be in during a scene and wondering, “What was that noise that disturbed the scene? Ah, it was the producer opening a bottle during filming, because he’s making a party.” It turned out excellent, but wow, it’s a really different style of film-making.

A Hidden Talent

What are you secretly good at?

I naturally possess good with numbers. I memorise numbers easier than I memorise words often, I’ve just got a numerically-oriented mind. So I believe had I not ended up in acting, I likely might have worked in involving numbers, like mathematics or finance.

The Best Guidance Given

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

When I was in high school, a speaker addressed us as we were graduating and stated, “don’t be afraid to fail” … an idea I consider is the best piece of advice, because you learn far more from failure than you learn from success. Success, one rarely understand precisely why it happened. With failure, the lessons are abundant.