Before leaving AA, Brian Lord shared some "heartbreaking" news with Dunn. "Dunn, you've gotta be careful on set. I just heard things aren't exactly calm over at the *Blade* crew!"
"What? Really?" Dunn's face shifted, full of concern. "Brian, what's going on?"
Brian shook his head with a sigh. "Not great, man. There was an accident on set—a backdrop wall collapsed and hit over a dozen people."
Dunn's expression turned heavy. "That bad? No one died, right?"
*You want someone to die? That's brutal, dude!* Brian thought, his face twitching as he shot Dunn a deep look. "No life-threatening injuries, thankfully, but they're all in the hospital. The production's probably looking at a loss of at least three million bucks."
Dunn frowned. "Man, that's rough luck! 😬 Oh, wait—*Blade* is part of AA's package deal, right? Are you guys…"
Brian waved it off. "Nah, not our fault. That wall was part of a set New Line bought ages ago—super old stuff."
"Such a shame," Dunn said, shaking his head like he was disappointed. "New Line should've been more careful. Action scenes are risky enough—safety's gotta come first."
Brian nodded. "Yeah, hopefully this mess teaches New Line a lesson they won't forget."
Dunn's eyes flickered, and he smirked. "A lesson? I'm not so sure. New Line's a small fry, and Marvel's got zero experience making movies. I bet they'll screw up big time—what do you think, Brian?"
Brian's face nearly twisted into a grimace, his sharp gaze cutting Dunn's way. "Maybe, maybe not. Who knows?"
Dunn grinned confidently. "Oh, I'm sure they will! My gut's never wrong, right, Brian?"
Brian clenched his jaw, a mix of frustration and resignation creeping in as he sighed. "Maybe."
Dunn finally cracked a laugh. "Brian, I might be young, but I get it—loyalty matters more than profit."
It was basically a promise.
Brian started to wonder if teaming up with Dunn was a mistake. But the ship had already sailed—no turning back now.
"Of course, I've always thought so too," Brian forced out with a strained smile.
Nicole Kidman and Pat Kingsley exchanged a glance, both a little confused. Something about this convo felt off—like there was a weird vibe they couldn't pin down.
Especially Dunn Walker. What did New Line's movie have to do with him? Hollywood wasn't exactly known for bleeding hearts, was it?
---
*My Big Fat Greek Wedding* had officially kicked off filming.
Dunn's version had gone through two months of script rewrites, making it a lot different from the original. More laughs, richer plot—especially the lead couple's journey from meeting to falling in love. None of that "love at first sight" nonsense from the original. This time, it was a rollercoaster of twists and hilarious mishaps before they finally earned their happy tears.
And the big upgrade? A new director.
Sure, Gary Marshall's directing skills weren't top-tier—maybe a 79 out of 100, nowhere near award-worthy—but his comedies? Box office gold. Compared to the original director, who was basically on par with a film school newbie—total trash!—this was a game-changer.
The original's success had nothing to do with direction—just a killer story carrying it. Now, with a better director, stronger cast, bigger budget, and some serious backing, Dunn was dead certain his version would crush the original. No question! 💪
Right now, Dunn was in Nicole Kidman's makeup room, eyeing the Aussie goddess in the mirror. She'd lost all her fairy-like glow—her skin was waxy and yellowish, aged up a ton. Her hair was dyed black, piled high in a quirky bun. That sleek figure? Buried under bulky costume layers. She looked like a random supermarket mom.
"Still not ugly enough! Add some freckles to her face," Dunn suggested, standing behind her.
Nicole was fuming. Ten years in movies, always showing her best side, and now Dunn wanted *this*? "Are you trying to ruin me?" she snapped, her voice icy. Only her professionalism kept her from blowing up—she'd been swallowing her anger for a while.
Dunn didn't flinch. "Nicole, trust me, this'll be the biggest breakthrough of your career! Not that… uh, not that Kubrick con job."
*Kubrick? A con job?* The makeup artists trembled. Only a cocky upstart like Dunn Walker would dare trash a Hollywood legend like that!
Nicole's face turned steely with rage. *Eyes Wide Shut* had been her boldest role yet—barely anything left to the imagination—just to shake off her career slump. And now Dunn was mocking Kubrick?
"Dunn, you're crossing a line!" she shot back.
He just sighed, unfazed. "Nicole, trust me—that movie's gonna let you down. I'm the one who'll bring you hope."
"Hmph!" Nicole snorted. Between Kubrick and Dunn Walker, she'd pick the master every time.
Dunn shook his head, getting serious. "Nicole, your beauty blows me away—I'm obsessed. But that's exactly why every role you play feels like a pretty doll. Get what I mean?"
The makeup crew froze. *Obsessed?* Flirting that hard with Nicole—Tom Cruise's wife—was he insane? Hollywood always dolled up its stars, especially leading ladies. Who'd ever heard of making them *ugly*?
Nicole stayed cold. "I just want to finish this movie smoothly."
Translation: she respected her job, not Dunn.
"You'll see I'm right," he shrugged, then walked out.
---
First scene: the heroine, Toula, at home.
Nicole stood in front of the bathroom mirror, staring at her faded, youthful-less face—full of melancholy, bitterness, and resignation. "Toula, you're thirty," she muttered, then clenched her fist. "Come on, you've got this—you'll get married!"
This was a new scene, crafted by Dunn's writing team. In just a few seconds, it nailed Toula's backstory and personality, setting up the comedy gold to come. Pretty slick move! 👏
"Cut!" Dunn called from behind the monitor, frowning. "Nicole, listen—Toula's a mess of contradictions. She's in her thirties, unloved, waiting for a Greek guy to marry her—she's insecure. But she's also upbeat and optimistic. I need layers, not a flat read."
First take, and her acting's already under fire? Nicole was ticked, wondering if Dunn was picking on her.
Take two, he cut her off again. "Nicole, something's off. You've got the sad part down, but the cheerful side's missing. Stop picturing yourself as an ugly duckling—ignore it sometimes. Show me the flirty, cute vibe a hot girl would have."
"You don't think that's gross?" Nicole snapped, her patience gone. A frumpy character acting all cutesy—seriously?
Dunn grinned. "You're getting it—that's the point! This is a comedy. The bigger the contrast, the bigger the laugh. Got it?"
Nicole took a deep breath. "I'll try."
"Alright, take three—go!"
Nicole faced the mirror, her face dripping with gloom and helplessness. "Toula, you're thirty—ughhh!" She shook her wild curls like a maniac, hands ruffling her hair, then froze. Her expression flipped—chin up, a sweet smile at herself in the glass. She took a big breath, fists confidently clasped at her chest. "You've got this—you'll get married!"
"Cut!" Dunn stood, smiling. "Nice, Nicole—you nailed it!"
She sighed in relief, grabbing a water from her assistant.
"But I know you can do even better!"
"Huh?" Nicole spun around, stunned, feeling totally played. 😳
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