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During a revealing interview, the acclaimed performer reflects on topics ranging from her latest role as a regal sea creature to the profound lessons learned through onstage mishaps and fan interactions.

Given the Chance to Become a Fish for a Day

Your latest character portrays the monarch of the cuttlefish in The Pout-Pout Fish; if you could 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 a local landmark, and people go there to see it. It strikes me as remarkable that there’s a local fish that folks genuinely seek out and talk about – it holds a unique status.

A Film Favorite to Return To

Which movie do you repeatedly watch, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I love this film. During my growing up, it would air on the ABC occasionally, and one time I recorded it. I found it was so funny. It stars the legendary Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Not long ago they were playing it at a cinema and I discovered that it was also the favourite film 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. The director Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – that wasn’t as effective. But Lubitsch's version is a brilliant comedy, to be watched often.

A Priceless Lesson Learned From a Co-Star

What is the most valuable 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 opposite each other and during the premiere I stumbled – I jumped ahead a few lines 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 completely saved me, and then our performance took off again and proceeded splendidly. However, I believe the insight gained in that moment was, first, consistently rely on the individuals you’re working with. If you don’t know your place, if you turn around and toward the actors sharing the stage with, you can rediscover your correct position in some way. It’s such communal thing, acting on stage. And next, to maintain a sense of fun regarding it. Occasionally when something goes wrong, things actually spark off in a really great direction if you’re really present then. It may become an unexpected boon when things go absolutely awry.

Heartening Exchanges with Fans

Can you describe your most memorable interaction with a fan?

It’s not a single specific meeting but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, 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 Eowyn meant to them and was a form of support to them in those times.

What do you get asked about the most by Lord of the Rings fans?

The most detailed inquiry concerns always about that infamous meal that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Did that stew taste as terrible as it looked?” It’s become a running gag, the entire episode about the stew, and everyone wants to know what was in the pot, and its preparation method, and do you think she’s a better cook now, or do you believe she really is a poor chef? Fans seem, in my view, fascinated by the comedy of that situation. And I go into great detail listing the ingredients that constituted the stew – as I recall the efforts made; such as adding pieces of colored thread to simulate the appearance like bits of veins in the meat. They went to extreme measures to make it look as bad as they could.

A Cringeworthy Star Meeting

What was your most embarrassing celebrity encounter?

I attended a fitness session and there was a woman lying down exercising, and the teacher remarked, “Oh, Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I attempted a lighthearted remark inquiring, “oh, are you a journalist?” Since Miranda is an uncommon moniker and most of the time when I meet another Miranda, they’re a journalist. I hadn't properly seeing who it was. And as she rose, it was Miranda Richardson. Then I didn’t know what to say. I was obliged to stay and do my class, and I felt so embarrassed. I wished to explain: “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 Moniker

Articles have confidently claimed that you were given your name from Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet you've mentioned you saying otherwise – can you settle the matter once and for all?

Indeed, I was christened for a district in Sydney. Mum heard on the radio that they were inaugurating 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 on Reaching for the Moon I experienced the most chaotic set of my career, and yet the film turned out brilliantly. But the local crew operated in such a different way. The sense of time there is really different. In Australia, you normally have a call sheet and you have to be on set punctually. But this was rather flexible – you come on set at one's convenience. It was a really different approach for me. The elements were all coming together at the very last minute, and at times they wouldn’t know the next location the next day the methodology. And then I would be in the middle of a scene and be like, “What caused that sound that disturbed the scene? Ah, it was a crew member popping open some champagne on set, to start a party.” It turned out great, but goodness, it’s a really different approach to film-making.

A Secret Talent

Do you have a secretly good at?

I’ve always been an aptitude for numbers. I memorise numbers easier than I learn dialogue a lot of the time, I’ve just got that kind of a brain. So I think had I not pursued acting, I probably would have entered a field involving numbers, like math or finance.

The Best Guidance Given

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

During my time in high school, a speaker came to speak when we were graduating and they said, “don’t be afraid to fail” … which I think is the best piece of advice, because you learn far more from failure than is gained from success. Success, one rarely understand exactly how it happened. With failure, the lessons are abundant.