🔗 Share this article

Through a thoughtful conversation, the acclaimed performer reflects on topics ranging from her newest character as a regal sea creature to the profound lessons gleaned from onstage mishaps and fan interactions.

If You Could Be a Fish for a Day

The most recent role is Queen 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 residing near a specific shoreline – because it’s a local landmark, and people go there specifically to spot it. It strikes me as remarkable that a resident aquatic creature that people actually go and see and talk about – it holds a unique status.

A Cinematic Staple to Return To

What film do you repeatedly watch, and why?

The 1942 comedy To Be Or Not To Be. I love this film. When I was childhood, it would air on television every now and again, and once I recorded it. I just thought it was hilarious. It stars Carole Lombard and comedian Jack Benny. Recently they were playing it at the Ritz and I discovered that it was the preferred movie of a friend of mine, and so we went and simply chuckled and laughed. It’s such great piece of humor and the entire cast in it are superb. Mel Brooks did a remake in the 1980s – which was not as effective. But the original film is an exceptional farce, to be watched often.

A Priceless Insight Gained Through a Co-Star

What’s the best lesson you learned from someone a colleague?

I was doing A Doll’s House alongside Peter O’Brien – now my spouse, but back then we were not a couple. We were playing opposite each other and during the premiere I stumbled – I jumped ahead some dialogue in the script. I didn’t know what I’d done but I abruptly sensed something wasn’t right. I remember glancing toward him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then our performance regained momentum and proceeded splendidly. But I think what I learned in that moment was, firstly, consistently rely on the people you’re working with. If you don’t know where you are, if you turn around and toward the people you’re with, you can rediscover where you’re meant to be somehow. It’s such collaborative endeavor, acting on stage. And next, just to have a sense of fun regarding it. Sometimes when a mistake occurs, things actually spark off in a wonderfully positive direction provided you are really present then. It may become an unexpected boon when things go absolutely the wrong way.

Heartening Interactions with Fans

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

There isn't just one specific meeting but when I encounter devotees of Lord of the Rings, particularly women, I hear a lot of stories about what Eowyn impacted them when they were growing up … things that had happened in their lives and the extent to which Eowyn meant to them and was some kind of help to them during those periods.

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

The most specific question is invariably regarding the stew her character prepares for Aragorn. “Was the stew really that bad?” It has evolved into a running gag, the whole thing 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 think she really is a bad cook? People are, in my view, fascinated by the comedy of that scene. And I go into lengthy descriptions describing the ingredients that made up the stew – as I recall what they did; such as put bits of red cotton to simulate the appearance like blood vessels in the meat. The crew employed extreme measures to make it look as unappetizing as possible.

A Cringeworthy Celebrity Encounter

What was your most cringeworthy celebrity encounter?

I attended a fitness session and another participant on a mat exercising, and the instructor remarked, “Hello Miranda, meet Miranda.” And I made some joke about, “oh, are you a journalist?” Because it’s an unusual name and most of the time when someone’s a Miranda, they work in media. I wasn’t really identified her. And when she got up, it was Miranda Richardson. Then I didn’t know words. I still had to stay and do my class, and I felt so embarrassed. I wished to explain: “Oh my gosh, I am aware of your work!” I consider her talent is immense and I was simply too awestruck to say anything.

The Source of a Name

It’s been confidently claimed that you were given your name from Prospero’s daughter in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and yet I’ve read stating otherwise – can you settle the matter once and for all?

Indeed, I was named after a district in Sydney. Mum learned via broadcast that they were inaugurating a mall at Miranda, and she thought seemed a nice name.

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 I’ve ever worked on, and yet the film turned out brilliantly. But the local crew operated in a distinct manner. The sense of time there is unique. Typically, you normally have a schedule and must arrive on set by a certain time. But this was sort of flexible – you come on set at one's convenience. It was a novel approach for me. All aspects were being assembled at the final moment, and at times they wouldn’t know where they were shooting or how we were going to do it. And then you’d be in during a scene and wondering, “What caused that sound that just interrupted the scene? Oh, it’s a crew member opening some champagne during filming, because he’s making a party.” It turned out great, but goodness, it’s a really different approach to film-making.

A Secret Talent

What are you secretly good at?

I’ve always been an aptitude for numbers. I memorise numbers easier than I learn dialogue often, I’ve just got that kind of a brain. So I believe if I hadn’t ended up in acting, I probably would have entered a field involving 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 stated, “don’t be afraid to fail” … an idea I consider is the best piece of advice, 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.