🔗 Share this article

In a candid conversation, the acclaimed performer opens up on topics ranging from her latest role as Queen of the Cuttlefish to the profound lessons learned through 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; 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 like an institution, and people go there to see it. I just think it’s cool that there’s a local fish that folks genuinely go and see and discuss – it’s a special fish.

A Cinematic Favorite to Return To

What film do you repeatedly watch, and why?

Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 film To Be Or Not To Be. I love this film. During my childhood, it used to come on television occasionally, and one time I videotaped it. I found it was so funny. It’s the legendary Carole Lombard and Jack Benny. Recently they were showing it at the Ritz and it turned out that it was the preferred movie of a friend of mine, and so we went and just laughed repeatedly. It is a great piece of comedy and all the actors in it are fantastic. Mel Brooks remade it in the 1980s – which was not as effective. But Lubitsch's version is an exceptional farce, worth viewing regularly.

A Priceless Insight Gained Through a Co-Star

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

Years ago I performed in A Doll’s House with Pete – my husband now, but back then we were not a couple. We portrayed characters opposite each other and on opening night I tripped up – I skipped forward a few lines in the script. I didn’t know what I’d done but I suddenly realised something wasn’t right. I remember glancing toward him, and he expertly rescued the moment, and then the scene took off again and proceeded splendidly. But I think what I learned then was, firstly, consistently rely on the individuals in your scene. When you lose where you are, by looking and toward the people sharing the stage with, you will find where you’re meant to be in some way. It is a profoundly collaborative endeavor, performing live. And next, to maintain a lighthearted attitude about it. Occasionally when something goes wrong, things actually spark off in a wonderfully positive way if you’re fully engaged in that moment. It may become a gift when things go absolutely the wrong way.

Memorable Interactions with Fans

Can you describe your most memorable interaction with a fan?

It’s not a single 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 younger … things that had happened in their lives and the extent to which Eowyn meant to them and was some kind of help to them in those times.

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. “Did that stew taste as terrible as it looked?” It has evolved into a running gag, the entire episode about the stew, and all fans wish to know what was in the stew, and how was it made, and do you think her skills improved now, or do you believe she really is a poor chef? Fans seem, I think, obsessed with the comedy of that situation. And I go into lengthy descriptions describing the components that constituted the stew – because I remember what they did; like they even adding pieces of colored thread to simulate the appearance like blood vessels in the meat. They went to great detail to make it look as bad as they could.

An Awkward Celebrity Encounter

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

I attended a pilates class and another participant lying down doing pilates, and the instructor said to me, “Oh, Miranda, this is Miranda.” And I attempted a lighthearted remark about, “might you be a journalist?” Because it’s an uncommon moniker and most of the time when I meet another Miranda, they’re a journalist. I hadn't properly seeing who it was. And as she rose, it was Miranda Richardson. At that point, I didn’t know words. I still had to complete my class, and I experienced intense awkwardness. I wanted to say: “Goodness, I do know your work!” I consider her talent is immense and I was just too starstruck to utter a syllable.

The Origin of a Moniker

Articles have repeatedly stated that you were given your name from 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. Mum learned via broadcast that they were inaugurating a mall at that location, and she thought seemed a nice name.

Pandemonium on Location

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

When I was 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 emerged brilliantly. But the local crew operated in such a different way. Their concept of time there is really different. Typically, you receive a schedule and must arrive on set by a certain time. But this was rather flexible – you come on set whenever you happen to be ready. It was a really different approach for me. The elements were all coming together at the very last minute, and at times they wouldn’t know the next location the next day how we were going to do it. And then I would be in during a scene and be like, “What caused that sound that just interrupted the scene? Ah, it was the producer opening a bottle on set, to start a party.” It turned out great, but goodness, it’s a distinct style of 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 often, I’ve just got a numerically-oriented mind. So I believe had I not pursued acting, I probably would have entered a field involving numbers, like mathematics or finance.

The Best Piece of Advice Ever Received

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

When I was in high school, a speaker came to speak when we were graduating and they said, “don’t be afraid to fail” … which I think is supremely valuable counsel, because you learn far more from failure than is gained from success. With success, one rarely understand exactly how it happened. Failure, you learn abundant.