🔗 Share this article

In a candid interview, the acclaimed performer delves on topics ranging from her newest character as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the invaluable wisdom learned through onstage mishaps and meeting admirers.

Given the Chance to Become a Fish for a Day

Your latest character portrays Queen of the Cuttlefish in The Pout-Pout Fish; supposing you had the opportunity to be a fish for a day, which one would it be and why?

Without hesitation, that particular fish residing near a specific shoreline – since it is like an institution, and individuals visit specifically to spot it. I just think it’s cool that there’s a local fish that people actually seek out and discuss – it’s a special fish.

A Cinematic Favorite 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 occasionally, and one time I recorded it. I just thought it was hilarious. It’s Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Not long ago they were playing it at a cinema and it turned out that it was the preferred movie of a friend of mine, and so we went and simply chuckled and laughed. It is a great piece of comedy and all the actors in it are superb. The director Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – that wasn’t as effective. But the original film is an exceptional farce, worth viewing often.

The Best Lesson Gained Through a Co-Star

What’s the best lesson you learned 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 as scene partners and on opening night I stumbled – I jumped ahead a few lines in the script. I didn’t know of my error 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. But I think what I learned in that moment was, first, consistently rely on the individuals in your scene. If you don’t know your place, if you turn around and toward the people you’re with, you will find where you’re meant to be in some way. It is a profoundly communal thing, acting on stage. And next, to maintain a lighthearted attitude about it. Occasionally when a mistake occurs, things can ignite in a really great way if you’re fully engaged in that moment. It can be an unexpected boon when things go absolutely the wrong way.

Heartening Exchanges with Fans

Can you describe your most touching encounter with a fan?

There isn't a single particular interaction but when I meet fans of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I am told numerous stories about how that character impacted them when they were growing up … events that occurred in their lives and how much that character meant to them and was some kind of help to them during those periods.

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

The most specific question is invariably regarding that infamous meal that Eowyn serves Aragorn. “Did that stew taste really that bad?” It has evolved into a running gag, the whole thing about the stew, and all fans wish to know what was in the stew, and its preparation method, and in your opinion her skills improved now, or do you think she really is a poor chef? People are, I think, fascinated by the humour of that scene. And I go into lengthy descriptions listing the ingredients that constituted the concoction – because I remember what they did; such as put bits of colored thread to make it look like blood vessels in the meat. They went to great detail to make it look as unappetizing as they could.

A Cringeworthy Star Meeting

What’s been your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I was at a pilates class and another participant on a mat doing pilates, and the instructor said to me, “Hello Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I made some joke inquiring, “might you be a journalist?” Because it’s an unusual name and often when I meet another Miranda, they’re a journalist. I hadn't properly seeing who it was. And when she got up, it was the actress Miranda Richardson. At that point, I didn’t know words. I still had to stay and do my class, and I experienced intense awkwardness. I wished to explain: “Goodness, I do know your work!” I think her talent is immense and I was simply too awestruck to utter a syllable.

The Origin of a Name

Articles have 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?

Indeed, I was named after a district in Sydney. My mother learned via broadcast that they were opening a mall at Miranda, and she thought sounded like a pleasant choice.

Chaos on Set

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

While working in Brazil for the film 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. Their concept of time there is really different. In Australia, you normally have a call sheet and must arrive on set by a certain time. But this was rather open ended – one would appear at one's convenience. It was a novel approach for me. The elements were being assembled at the very last minute, and sometimes they wouldn’t know the next location 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 just interrupted the scene? Oh, it’s the producer popping open some champagne during filming, to start a party.” It turned out great, but goodness, it’s a really different approach to film-making.

A Hidden Skill

What are you secretly good at?

I naturally possess good with numbers. I retain numbers easier than I memorise words often, I simply have that kind of a brain. So I think had I not pursued acting, I likely might have entered a field something to do with numbers, like mathematics or finance.

The Best Piece of Advice Ever Received

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

During my time in secondary school, a speaker came to speak as we were graduating and they said, “don’t be afraid to fail” … an idea I consider is the best piece of advice, because you learn far more from setbacks than you learn from success. With success, one rarely understand exactly how it happened. Failure, you learn so much more.