Nicole Kidman was gone, and Natalie and Rose Byrne were off filming, so lately, Charlize Theron and Penelope Cruz had been getting a lot of attention. They even tagged along when Dunn visited Marlon Brando.
And the nights? Well, no need to spell it out—Dunn was having a blast with these two fiery beauties, living it up every evening.
Nina Jacobson didn't know much about Penelope Cruz, the Spanish girl, but Charlize Theron had some name recognition. She glanced at Dunn and tested the waters. "How about giving Charlize a shot? She's got the moves and the figure—should be a good fit for Erika."
Christopher Nolan, on the other hand, treaded carefully. He'd already figured it out: he had plenty of say as director when it came to male actors, budgets, and scripts. But the leading lady? That was Dunn's call—always had been, ever since the first film from Dunn Films.
Take My Big Fat Greek Wedding—Nicole Kidman was the star. Wedding Crashers had Reese Witherspoon. Girl, Interrupted featured dual leads Nicole Kidman and Natalie Portman. Spider-Man went to Jessica Alba, A Beautiful Mind back to Nicole Kidman, Mr. & Mrs. Smith had Sophie Marceau, Unsinking starred Liv Tyler and Charlize Theron, and Resident Evil was all Mila Jovovich.
For Pirates League: Curse of the Black Pearl, the main cast—aside from Johnny Depp as the lead—hadn't been announced yet. But as Dunn's trusted director, Christopher Nolan was in on the secrets.
The second male lead, Will Turner, was set to be played by British actor Tom Hardy. Hardy's first gig had been Band of Brothers, where he'd impressed everyone, earning a strong recommendation from executive producer Tom Hanks.
But what really sealed the deal for Dunn? Hardy's knack for playing smart. Band of Brothers hadn't aired yet, but Hollywood's a small world—no big secrets here. A newbie backed by Tom Hanks was a safe bet. So when Jerry Bruckheimer started prepping Black Hawk Down, he invited Hardy to join the war flick—a natural next step for his career.
Hardy, though, saw the bigger picture. He knew Dunn Walker was the producer behind Band of Brothers, that Dunn had tight ties to the British film scene, and—most importantly—that Dunn and Bruckheimer were like oil and water. So, he ditched the Hollywood golden boy and threw his lot in with Dunn.
Dunn loved that kind of loyalty.
Tim Burton had pitched a few solid British up-and-comers—Henry Cavill, Colin Farrell—but Dunn stuck with Hardy. It was his reward.
As for the female lead, Elizabeth Swann? Dunn picked Anne Hathaway.
The original actress, Keira Knightley, had worked with Dunn on Star Wars: Episode I. She was a delicate beauty, but her chest was a little too flat for his taste. Plus, at 15, she was just too young, no matter how you sliced it.
Anne Hathaway, though? She'd had a little mix-up with Dunn last year, but she owned up to it with genuine apologies and good vibes. Dunn wasn't one to hold a grudge—especially not with a young, pretty girl. They got a pass to mess up now and then. Besides, he'd already marked her as his in his mind; it was just her throwing a little tantrum.
Anne seemed to get that, too. She'd been busy filming The Princess Diaries, but she kept in touch with Dunn via email. When he asked for some risqué, no-clothes pics, she didn't hesitate—sent him seven or eight shots, all angles, all close-ups, the works.
She even had a tattoo on her lower abdomen—a vibrant rose with two letters inked inside: "DW." Not DreamWorks' "DW," mind you, but Dunn Walker's.
Still, Dunn wasn't in a rush to claim her. He'd been meeting plenty of gorgeous new girls lately—plenty of fresh thrills to keep him busy. Anne, though, kept dropping hints about moving into the Mid-Level Villa, eager to live that top-tier billionaire life.
That kind of initiative, awareness, and obedience? With Dunn's personality, he couldn't not reward it.
Elizabeth Swann's role wasn't huge, but it was memorable—key to balancing the two male leads. With Pirates League: Curse of the Black Pearl as her launchpad, Anne could skyrocket to global fame and A-list status fast.
Just as Christopher Nolan had clocked, Dunn always flexed his privilege when it came to picking the leading lady.
Hearing Nina Jacobson's suggestion, Dunn shook his head. "Charlize doesn't need the Erika role. We've got to spread the limited resources around, give more talented actors a shot."
Nina was sharp—she caught his drift instantly and smiled. "Then how about Penelope Cruz? She'd fit, too."
"Penny?" Dunn pretended to mull it over, then nodded. "Yeah, Erika's a good match for her. What do you think, Chris? You're the director—you've got a say."
Christopher Nolan wasn't dumb. "I haven't worked with Ms. Cruz, but I know she's a solid actress. If you both vouch for her, that's proof enough she's got the goods. I say we skip the auditions and lock her in for Erika."
Dunn grinned. "Alright, done! Oh, and Penny hasn't done action scenes before, so you'll need to put in some extra work there."
Nolan nodded firmly. "I'm the director—it's my job!"
That night, Dunn was back at it, reveling in the lush, full curves of Charlize Theron and Penelope Cruz—tossing and turning, shaking the earth, leaving the room buzzing with energy.
Penelope cleaned up every last drop, then shot Dunn a shy, flirty glance that dripped with charm before climbing onto Charlize for a kiss—clearly trying to lure him back for round two.
Dunn soaked in the bliss, totally satisfied. He pulled Penelope into his arms with a mock scold. "You think I'm made of steel? Give me a break—I've got something serious to talk about!"
"What?" Penelope blinked her big eyes, playing innocent. "Is there anything more important than this? Didn't you say life's all about having fun?"
Dunn laughed and gave her a solid smack on the backside. "You and that sweet talk! It's about a movie—want to hear it?"
"A movie?" The dreamy, intoxicated look on Penelope's face vanished. Her eyes widened. "I've got a new role?"
Charlize, exhausted, propped herself up and turned to look, curiosity and hope written all over her face.
At the end of the day, they were actresses. Movies were their life's work.
Dunn smiled. "Daredevil needs a leading lady. You should give it a go."
"Daredevil? The big project our company's pushing this year? The one on par with Spider-Man?" Penelope's excited flush made her face even more radiant.
"Yup, that's the one!"
With Dunn's confirmation, Penelope let out a thrilled squeal, practically tackling him as she showered him with kisses.
"Whoa, whoa, hold up!" Dunn pushed her off with a laugh.
Charlize cracked up, shaking with laughter. "Penny, you forgot what you just had in your mouth! Dunn's not kissing you after that!"
Penelope was so hyped she'd lost herself a little. She didn't know all the details about Daredevil, but Spider-Man's global domination was fresh in her mind. A project on the same level as that? The implications were obvious.
She was so worked up she started stumbling over her words. "Dunn, I—I love you to death! You're so good to me. I'd give you everything, I swear—I'll be your girl, as long as you want, however you want. I'm in, I'm in!"
Dunn's ego swelled. He pulled Charlize over with a sly grin. "And you?"
Charlize nestled into his arms, whispering in his ear with a dreamy sigh. "I'm already right here, aren't I? You can do whatever you want with me—take it all."
Dunn was in heaven, grinning ear to ear. "You two are my treasures—worth every bit of love. So good to me!"
Penelope and Charlize snuggled up on either side of him, two stunning flowers, eyes hazy with adoration, practically begging for his favor.