Having grown up in the public eye – she’s spent more than two decades in the spotlight – Pia Miranda is no stranger to criticism. But after appearing on Australian Survivor, the actress was hit with a wave of online bullying that felt more personal than anything she’d experienced before.
“It was short-lived, but still really painful,” she tells Broadsheet. What stayed with her wasn’t the cruel comments, but the realisation that so many of them were coming from adults.
“I noticed a lot of the people saying really nasty things were parents of young children. I thought, ‘If they’re behaving like that online, how are their kids going to know any better?’”
It’s a question Miranda continued to ask, especially now as a mum of two (a teen and a tween). During her 2023 stint on Dancing With the Stars, her chosen charity was Dolly’s Dream, an organisation dedicated to tackling the impacts of bullying, anxiety, depression and youth suicide. Now she’s joined the charity as an ambassador to help put an end to bullying.
“When [kids] get to about grade five or six, everyone seems to get phones. They want some independence, which is great, but that’s when the group chats start,” she says. “From my experience, there’s no education around how to behave in those chats. It’s left up to parents, and not everyone has the time or resources to do that properly.”
That’s where Dolly’s Dream steps in. The charity offers anti-bullying programs in schools, a free 24-hour national support line, a cyber safety app called Beacon and a parent hub filled with practical tools to help caregivers navigate tough conversations and keep their kids safe online. It’s all for the wider goal of a kinder, safer world for young people – a cause close to Miranda’s heart.
In her own home, she turns to the kitchen when opening up important conversation with her kids in a casual, approachable way. “It’s not as full-on as when you walk into their room and say, ‘We need to talk’,” she says. “[In] the kitchen is a time where everyone’s relaxed.”
In honour of Do It for Dolly Day – which encourages Australians all over the country to be kind, wear blue and take a stand against bullying – on Friday May 9, Miranda is making a family favourite. Italian-style biscotti (specifically amaretti) are part of her household’s daily breakfast ritual, and she’s turning them blue for the cause.
“I love biscotti,” she says. “It’s a really fun way to get your kids involved [in the kitchen], even if they’re just watching.”
She usually uses this recipe for amaretti as a base, swapping out the almond essence for 30 millilitres of amaretto liqueur. But on Do It For Dolly Day, she’ll be using 30 millilitres of blue curacao to turn the biscuits blue. You can also keep the original recipe as-is and just add a few drops of blue food colouring to get the same effect.
She recommends dipping the biscuits in a blueberry smoothie for an extra pop of colour – and a gentle nudge to start a deeper conversation. Because even the little moments like baking with your kids can help create lasting change.
Do It for Dolly Day is the biggest annual awareness and fundraising day for Dolly’s Dream. Kate and Tick Everett established the foundation following the loss of their 14-year-old daughter Amy “Dolly” Everett, who took her own life after prolonged bullying, both online and offline. Blue was Dolly’s favourite colour, and that’s why Do It For Dolly Day encourages Aussies to wear blue. Every donation helps Dolly’s Dream continue its work supporting families, schools and communities across the country through education, resources and direct support to address the impact of bullying – and put a stop to it altogether.
Do It For Dolly Day is on Friday, May 9. Support the cause by wearing blue, hosting a fundraiser with your school, workplace or community, or donating directly.
If your child or someone you know is experiencing bullying, call Dolly’s Dream and Kids Helpline’s support line at 0488 881 033 or visit dollysdream.org.au.
Broadsheet is a proud supporter of Dolly's Dream and Do It For Dolly Day 2025.
