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In a candid conversation, the acclaimed performer opens up on subjects as varied as her newest character as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the profound lessons gleaned from onstage mishaps and fan interactions.

Given the Chance to Become a Sea Creature for a Day

The most recent 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, the blue groper found at Clovelly beach – since it is a local landmark, and individuals visit specifically to spot it. It strikes me as remarkable that a resident aquatic creature that people actually seek out and talk about – it holds a unique status.

A Cinematic Favorite to Return To

What film do you always return to, and why?

The 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I adore this film. During my childhood, it would air on television every now and again, and one time I videotaped it. I just thought it was hilarious. It’s the legendary Carole Lombard and 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 just laughed and laughed. It is a masterful work of comedy and all the actors in it are superb. Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – that wasn’t as effective. But Lubitsch's version is a brilliant comedy, worth viewing often.

The Best Lesson Learned From a Fellow Actor

What’s the best 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 a couple. We portrayed characters as scene partners and on opening night I stumbled – I skipped forward a few lines in the script. I didn’t know what I’d done but I abruptly sensed things were off. I remember looking at him, and he completely saved me, and then our performance regained momentum and proceeded splendidly. But I think the insight gained then was, first, consistently rely on the people in your scene. If you don’t know where you are, by looking and toward the people you’re with, you will find where you’re meant to be somehow. It’s such collaborative endeavor, acting on stage. And next, just to have a lighthearted attitude about it. Occasionally when a mistake occurs, things can ignite in a wonderfully positive direction provided you are really present then. It can be a gift when things go completely awry.

Memorable Exchanges with Fans

Can you describe your most touching interaction with a fan?

There isn't just one specific meeting but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, especially female fans, I am told numerous stories about how that character meant to them when they were growing up … 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.

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

The most specific question is always about the stew her character prepares for Aragorn. “Was the stew really that bad?” It’s become a running gag, the entire episode involving that dish, and all fans wish to know what was in the stew, and its preparation method, and do you think she’s a better cook now, or do you believe she really is a bad cook? Fans seem, I think, fascinated by the humour of that situation. And I provide lengthy descriptions listing the components that constituted the concoction – because I remember what they did; like they even put bits of red cotton to simulate the appearance like blood vessels in the meat. They went to great detail to make it look as unappetizing as they could.

An Awkward Star Encounter

What was your most cringeworthy run-in with a famous person?

I was at a pilates class and there was a woman lying down exercising, and the instructor said to me, “Hello Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I made some joke inquiring, “oh, are you 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 the actress Miranda Richardson. Then I was at a loss for words. I still had to complete my class, and I experienced intense awkwardness. I wanted to say: “Oh my gosh, I do know your work!” I think she’s so fabulous and I was simply too awestruck to say anything.

The Source of a Moniker

It’s been 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 once and for all?

Yes – 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 seemed 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 least organized set of my career, and yet the final product turned out brilliantly. But they just work in a distinct manner. Their concept of time there is unique. Typically, you receive 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 very last minute, and sometimes they wouldn’t know where they were shooting the next day how we were going to do it. And then I would be in the middle of a scene and be like, “What was that noise that just interrupted the scene? Oh, it’s a crew member popping open some champagne during filming, to start a party.” The result was great, but wow, it’s a really different approach to film-making.

A Hidden Talent

What are you secretly good at?

I naturally possess good with 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 pursued acting, I probably would have entered a field involving numbers, like math or accounting.

The Finest Guidance Ever Received

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

During my time in secondary school, a speaker addressed us as we were graduating and stated, “have no fear to fail” … which I think is supremely valuable counsel, since one gains far more from setbacks than you learn from success. With success, one rarely comprehends precisely why it happened. Failure, you learn so much more.