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Through a thoughtful conversation, the acclaimed performer delves on topics ranging from her newest character as a regal sea creature to the profound lessons learned through theatrical mistakes and meeting admirers.

If You Could Be a Fish 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 you choose and why?

Without hesitation, that particular fish found at a specific shoreline – since it is like an institution, and individuals visit to see it. It strikes me it’s cool that a resident aquatic creature that people actually seek out and discuss – it holds a unique status.

A Film Staple to Revisit

Which movie do you always return to, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I love this film. During my childhood, it used to come on television every now and again, and one time I videotaped it. I found it was hilarious. It stars Carole Lombard and comedian 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 simply chuckled and laughed. It’s such masterful work of humor and the entire cast in it are fantastic. Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – which was not successful. But Lubitsch's version is an exceptional farce, worth viewing often.

A Priceless Lesson Gained Through a Co-Star

What’s the best lesson you took away from someone you’ve worked with?

I was doing A Doll’s House with Pete – now my spouse, but at the time we were not a couple. We portrayed characters as scene partners and during the premiere I tripped up – I jumped ahead some dialogue in the script. I didn’t know what I’d done but I abruptly sensed things were off. I recall looking at him, and he completely saved me, and then our performance took off again and went really, really well. But I think the insight gained then was, first, consistently rely on the individuals you’re working with. When you lose where you are, if you turn around and look at the actors sharing the stage with, you will find where you’re meant to be somehow. It’s such collaborative endeavor, performing live. And secondly, just to have a sense of fun about it. Occasionally when a mistake occurs, things can ignite in a really great way provided you are fully engaged then. It can be an unexpected boon when things go absolutely awry.

Memorable Interactions with Admirers

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

It’s not 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 meant to them when they were younger … things that had happened 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 question is always about the stew her character prepares for Aragorn. “Did that stew taste as terrible as it looked?” It’s become such a joke, the whole thing involving that dish, and everyone wants 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 bad cook? Fans seem, I think, fascinated by the humour of that scene. And I go into lengthy descriptions listing the components that made up the stew – because I remember the efforts made; like they even put bits of colored thread to simulate the appearance like bits of veins in the meat. The crew employed extreme measures to make it look as unappetizing as possible.

A Cringeworthy Star Encounter

What was your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I attended a pilates class and there was a woman lying down doing pilates, and the instructor remarked, “Hello Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I attempted some joke inquiring, “oh, are you a journalist?” Because it’s an unusual name and most of the time when I meet another Miranda, they work in media. I hadn't properly identified her. And when she got up, it was Miranda Richardson. At that point, I didn’t know words. I was obliged to complete my class, and I experienced intense awkwardness. I wanted to say: “Goodness, I am aware of who you are!” I think she’s so fabulous and I was just too starstruck to say anything.

The Source of a Moniker

Articles have confidently claimed that you were named after Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet you've mentioned you saying otherwise – can you clarify this 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 she thought sounded like a pleasant choice.

Pandemonium on Set

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 I experienced the least organized set of my career, and yet the film emerged brilliantly. But they just work in a distinct manner. The sense of time there is unique. In Australia, you receive a schedule and you have to be on set by a certain time. But this was sort of flexible – 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 they wouldn’t know the next location or how we were going to do it. And then you’d be in during a scene and be like, “What caused that sound that disturbed the scene? Oh, it’s the producer popping open some champagne during filming, because he’s making a party.” The result was excellent, but goodness, it’s a distinct approach to film-making.

A Secret Talent

Do you have a secretly good at?

I naturally possess good with numbers. I retain numbers more readily than I learn dialogue a lot of the time, I simply have a numerically-oriented mind. So I think if I hadn’t ended up in acting, I likely might have entered a field involving numbers, like math or accounting.

The Best Guidance Given

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

When I was in high school, someone came to speak when we were graduating and stated, “have no fear to fail” … which I think is supremely valuable counsel, because you learn so much more from setbacks than you learn from success. With success, one rarely comprehends exactly how it happened. Failure, the lessons are so much more.