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During a revealing discussion, the acclaimed performer delves on subjects as varied as her newest character as a regal sea creature to the invaluable wisdom gleaned from theatrical mistakes and meeting admirers.

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 it be and why?

Straight away, that particular fish residing near a specific shoreline – because it’s a local landmark, and individuals visit specifically to spot it. It strikes me it’s cool that a resident aquatic creature that folks genuinely seek out and discuss – it’s a special fish.

A Cinematic Favorite 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 the ABC every now and again, and one time I recorded it. I just thought it was hilarious. It stars Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Not long ago they were showing it at a cinema and I discovered that it was also the favourite film of a friend of mine, and so we went and just laughed repeatedly. It is a great piece of comedy and the entire cast in it are superb. Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – which was not as effective. But Lubitsch's version is an exceptional farce, worth viewing regularly.

A Priceless Insight Learned From a Co-Star

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 at the time we were not together. We were playing opposite each other and during the premiere I stumbled – I skipped forward a few lines in the script. I didn’t know of my error but I suddenly realised things were off. I recall looking at him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then the scene took off again and proceeded splendidly. But I think the insight gained in that moment was, first, always trust the people you’re working with. If you don’t know your place, if you turn around and look at the actors sharing the stage with, you will find your correct position in some way. It’s such communal thing, performing live. And secondly, to maintain a lighthearted attitude about it. Occasionally when a mistake occurs, things actually spark off in a wonderfully positive direction provided you are fully engaged in that moment. It may become an unexpected boon when things go absolutely awry.

Heartening Exchanges with Admirers

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

There isn't just one specific meeting but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I hear a lot of stories about how that character impacted them when they were growing up … events that occurred in their lives and the extent to which that character signified for them and was a form of support to them during those periods.

Which questions get asked most frequently by Lord of the Rings fans?

The most detailed question is always about that infamous meal that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Did that stew taste as terrible as it looked?” It has evolved into such a joke, the whole thing involving that dish, and everyone wants to know the contents of the pot, and its preparation method, and in your opinion she’s a better cook now, or do you believe she really is a poor chef? Fans seem, in my view, fascinated by the humour of that situation. And I go into lengthy descriptions listing the ingredients that made up the stew – as I recall the efforts made; like they even adding pieces of colored thread to make it look like bits of veins in the meat. They went to great detail to make it look as bad as possible.

An Awkward Star Meeting

What’s been your most cringeworthy run-in with a famous person?

I attended a fitness session and there was a woman on a mat doing pilates, and the instructor remarked, “Hello Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I made a lighthearted remark inquiring, “might you be a journalist?” Because it’s an uncommon moniker and most of the time when I meet another Miranda, they work in media. I wasn’t really seeing who it was. And when she got up, it was Miranda Richardson. At that point, I was at a loss for words. I still had to complete my class, and I felt intense awkwardness. I wished to explain: “Oh my gosh, I do know who you are!” I think her talent is immense and I was just too starstruck to utter a syllable.

The Origin of a Moniker

It’s been repeatedly stated that you were named after Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet you've mentioned you saying otherwise – can you settle the matter definitively?

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

Pandemonium on Set

What was the 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 I’ve ever worked on, and yet the film emerged brilliantly. But they just work in such a different way. Their concept of time there is unique. Typically, you normally have a call sheet and you have to be on set by a certain time. But this was rather open ended – you come on set at one's convenience. It was a really different approach for me. All aspects were all coming together 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 during a scene and be like, “What caused that sound that disturbed the scene? Oh, it’s a crew member popping open a bottle during filming, because he’s making a party.” The result was great, but wow, it’s a really different approach to film-making.

A Hidden Skill

Do you have a secretly good at?

I naturally possess an aptitude for numbers. I memorise numbers more readily than I memorise words often, I’ve just got that kind of a brain. So I believe had I not ended up in acting, I likely might have entered a field something to do with numbers, like math or finance.

The Finest Piece of Advice Given

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

During my time in high school, a speaker came to speak 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 so much more from failure than is gained from success. With success, one rarely understand exactly how it happened. Failure, the lessons are so much more.