The actress Reveals Perspectives on Acting, Fandom, and Unexpected Gifts.

Through a thoughtful discussion, the acclaimed performer delves on topics ranging from her latest role as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the invaluable wisdom learned through onstage mishaps and meeting admirers.

If You Could Be a Fish for a Day

The most recent role is 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, the blue groper residing near a specific shoreline – because it’s a local landmark, and people go there specifically to spot it. I just think as remarkable that there’s a local fish that folks genuinely seek out and talk about – it’s a special fish.

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 picture. During my growing up, it used to come on television occasionally, and once I videotaped it. I just thought it was so funny. It stars Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Not long ago they were showing it at the Ritz and it turned out that it was the preferred movie of an acquaintance, and so we attended and simply chuckled and laughed. It is a great piece of humor and all the actors in it are fantastic. Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – which was not as effective. But Lubitsch's version is an exceptional farce, to be watched regularly.

A Priceless Insight 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 together. We portrayed characters opposite each other and on opening night I tripped up – I jumped ahead a few lines in the script. I didn’t know what I’d done but I abruptly sensed 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 what I learned in that moment was, first, always trust the people in your scene. When you lose where you are, by looking and toward the actors you’re with, you can rediscover where you’re meant to be somehow. It is a profoundly communal thing, acting on stage. And secondly, just to have a lighthearted attitude about it. Occasionally when a mistake occurs, things can ignite in a wonderfully positive way provided you are really present then. It can be a gift when things go completely the wrong way.

Heartening Interactions with Admirers

Can you describe your most touching interaction with a fan?

It’s not a single particular interaction but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I am told numerous accounts about what Eowyn meant to them when they were younger … events that occurred in their lives and how much Eowyn meant to them and was some kind of help to them in those times.

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

The most detailed question is always about that infamous meal her character prepares for 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 how was it made, and do you think her skills improved now, or do you think she really is a bad cook? Fans seem, I think, obsessed with the humour of that situation. And I go into lengthy descriptions listing the components that constituted the concoction – as I recall what they did; like they even put bits of colored thread to simulate the appearance like bits of veins in the meat. They went to extreme measures to render it as unappetizing as they could.

A Cringeworthy Star Meeting

What was your most embarrassing celebrity encounter?

I attended a pilates class and there was a woman on a mat exercising, and the instructor said to me, “Oh, Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I made some joke inquiring, “oh, are you a journalist?” Because it’s an unusual name and most of the time when someone’s a Miranda, they’re a journalist. I hadn't properly seeing who it was. And as she rose, it was the actress Miranda Richardson. Then I didn’t know words. I was obliged to complete my class, and I felt intense awkwardness. I wanted to say: “Goodness, I am aware of your work!” I consider she’s so fabulous 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 I’ve read you saying otherwise – can you clarify this once and for all?

Yes – I was named after a district in Sydney. Mum learned via broadcast that they were opening a shopping centre at Miranda, and she thought sounded like a nice name.

Chaos on Set

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

While working in Brazil on Reaching for the Moon that was the most chaotic set I’ve ever worked on, and yet the film turned out brilliantly. But the local crew operated in such a different way. Their concept of time there is unique. In Australia, you receive a call sheet and you have to be on set by a certain time. But this was rather flexible – one would appear whenever you happen to be ready. It was a really different way of working for me. All aspects were all coming together at the very last minute, and at times they wouldn’t know the next location or how we were going to do it. And then you’d be in the middle of a scene and wondering, “What caused that sound that disturbed the scene? Oh, it’s a crew member opening a bottle on set, because he’s making a party.” It turned out great, but goodness, it’s a distinct approach to film-making.

A Hidden Skill

What are you secretly good at?

I naturally possess good with numbers. I retain numbers more readily than I memorise words a lot of the time, I simply have that kind of a brain. So I think had I not pursued acting, I probably would have entered a field something to do with numbers, like math or finance.

The Finest Piece of Advice Ever Received

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

When I was in high school, a speaker addressed us as we were graduating and they said, “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, you never really comprehends precisely why it happened. With failure, you learn abundant.