The Oscar ceremony is about to kick off, and Dunn suddenly remembers something. "Oh, by the way, did you sort out the agent situation?"
Nicole Kidman nods. "Yep, thanks to you! I've already talked with Hilda Quealy."
Dunn grins. "So, what do you think? She's pretty good, right?"
Nicole shrugs. "Eh, they all feel about the same to me." She's been with Pat Kingsley from the start, so switching feels a little guilt-inducing.
Dunn, though, doesn't care much about that. This is Hollywood—personal feelings are just a sidekick to business. "What kind of career plan did Hilda set up for you?"
Nicole replies softly, "She thinks I should focus on award-worthy roles for the next few years and skip the commercial stuff for now. I'm on board with that."
Dunn nods approvingly. "Smart move! With your height, commercial films can be tricky. Go for the awards first—show Tom Cruise you're thriving without him!"
Nicole's brow furrows. "Ugh, don't mention him!"
Dunn chuckles. "Haha, okay, my bad. So, got any scripts lined up yet?"
She shakes her head. "Nope. Hilda says I'm not in the best spot right now—too much buzz, good and bad. She wants me to wait, maybe half a year, before jumping back in."
"Half a year, huh…" Dunn muses for a moment. "Maybe by then, Dunn Pictures could invest in a film with you as the star!"
Nicole waves it off casually. "We'll see. Oh, the ceremony's starting!"
This year's Oscars are being broadcast live across the U.S. by ABC, hosted by Whoopi Goldberg for the third time. Dunn's not impressed by this out-of-shape host and can't figure out why the producers picked her. To boost Black viewership or something? He's kinda bummed about it.
In the end, *My Big Fat Greek Wedding*, which snagged Best Screenplay at the Golden Globes, loses out at the Oscars. The Best Original Screenplay goes to *Shakespeare in Love*. Best Actress? No surprise there—Gwyneth Paltrow takes it home.
Pretty undeserved? Yeah, probably. It might just be the weakest Best Actress win in Oscar history. But fair? Totally. There wasn't much competition.
The Best Picture race, though, throws a curveball. *Shakespeare in Love* beats *Saving Private Ryan*—a bit of a shocker that shows off the Oscars' unpredictable swagger.
Dunn walks away empty-handed this time, but the night's still a blast. Nicole Kidman lets loose too. Honestly, ever since she moved into Dunn's place over a month ago, she's been mentally prepping for this moment—it was bound to happen eventually.
Lucky for her, Dunn's strength and tenderness make it a night of pure joy and relaxation.
---
Back when *Titanic* was in production, Tom Rothman had a real shot at toppling Bill Mechanic and taking over Twentieth Century Fox. But then Dunn Walker popped up out of nowhere like some chosen one, swooping in to save Bill Mechanic from disaster. Not only that—he smashed records with nearly $1.9 billion in global box office!
*Titanic*'s massive success torched all of Tom Rothman's careful plotting. Then, the successful release of *My Big Fat Greek Wedding* earned Bill Mechanic even more cred and trust from the News Corp bigwigs.
Fox didn't even invest a dime—just handled distribution—and raked in over $80 million! Easily the savviest deal in Hollywood that year. Add in VHS and DVD sales, plus a 20% cut of the film's rights, and that movie brought Fox over $100 million total.
Dunn's rise didn't just mess up Tom Rothman's power grab—it launched Bill Mechanic to untouchable heights. Now, Twentieth Century Fox is basically Bill's kingdom. Tom Rothman's still president, sure, but the only projects he's got real control over are the superhero flicks—like *X-Men*—that Bill doesn't even care about.
As the number two guy, Tom's power doesn't even match one of Bill's loyal producers. How's he supposed to stomach that?
Finally, Tom Rothman catches a break!
Bill's string of wins has made him untouchable, but that's a double-edged sword. When you're on top, success proves your genius—but a flop? You're stuck with all the blame.
Last year, Bill went all in, teaming up with producer Arnon Milchan to adapt Chuck Palahniuk's crime thriller into a movie called *Fight Club*. He was so hyped about it that he brought in David Fincher to direct and stacked the cast with heavy hitters like Brad Pitt, Helena Bonham Carter, and Edward Norton. Big dreams, big budget—an R-rated flick with a $65 million price tag!
Plenty of Fox execs warned Bill to pump the brakes. Brad Pitt's never been a box office guarantee. But Bill, riding high on his winning streak, wouldn't budge. He even bragged it'd be a history-making classic!
Now the film's done, and Tom Rothman's seen some footage. He's practically blooming like a peach tree in spring. This movie's a guaranteed flop!
Dark, brooding, culty, neurotic—it's a niche film dressed up as a blockbuster. Even Brad Pitt can't save this trainwreck!
With years in the biz, Tom's dead certain *Fight Club* is doomed. And Bill Mechanic, the guy who pushed it hardest, will be the fall guy. When it tanks, he'll have to pay the price.
Sometimes, Tom sits alone in his office and just laughs. He can finally see Bill Mechanic's downfall—and his own rise to the top of Twentieth Century Fox.
But then, a bombshell drops, shattering Tom's dreams.
Dunn Pictures has a new movie—a follow-up to *My Big Fat Greek Wedding* called *Wedding Crashers*! Tom's floored.
He can't wrap his head around it. Where did this Dunn Walker even come from? Why's he always screwing with Tom's plans? First *Titanic* bails out Bill, then *My Big Fat Greek Wedding* adds to his glory. Now, just as Tom's ready to watch *Fight Club* crash and burn and take Bill down with it, Dunn hands over *Wedding Crashers*.
A lifeline for Bill? Seriously?
Tom's done underestimating Dunn. The guy's young, but he's as sharp as any Hollywood vet with decades under their belt. He made *My Big Fat Greek Wedding* a hit—outgrossing *Saving Private Ryan* in North America, no less. Chances are, he'll pull it off with *Wedding Crashers* too.
Tom's practically gasping for air. If *Wedding Crashers* goes to Bill for distribution and nets tens of millions, even a *Fight Club* flop won't shake Bill's throne.
Tom can't wait anymore—not even a minute. He's sick of Bill's dominance and needs to act fast to stop him from getting his hands on *Wedding Crashers*!
"But… how do I cut them off? Dunn and Bill have always been tight," Tom mutters, puffing on a cigar in his office. His eyes glaze over, lost in thought.
Suddenly, they narrow, then snap wide open, glinting with a spark of brilliance.
---