Dunn's acceptance speech got a huge reaction from the crowd—it was the first real highlight of the night at the Oscars.
But how much of what he said can you actually believe?
The six major film studios are the bedrock of Hollywood, but to build up his own Dunn Films, Dunn's been chipping away at those foundations, pulling out bricks left and right.
Warner's Harry Potter series? Snagged. Paramount's Transformers? Taken. Sony's Spider-Man? Gone. Twentieth Century Fox hasn't lost anything to Dunn yet, but he's already roped in James Cameron—so the Avatar series is basically locked in for Dunn Films.
Disney? Don't even get me started—Marvel's already in Dunn's pocket. As for Universal, well, Dunn's quietly laying the groundwork to buy them out.
So yeah, you could say Dunn's success comes from slyly stripping assets from the Big Six and reshaping them into his own empire!
He's even got a backup plan.
He's bought Netflix and pumped a ton of money into it. If Hollywood ever turns on him, he can step back and make a comeback through Netflix's streaming platform like some kind of king reclaiming his throne.
"Plan for defeat before planning for victory"—that's Dunn's style.
Of course, as a director, Dunn's social circle is mostly actors. Hanging out with different women has sharpened his eye for acting—sometimes he can tell if a woman's faking it in bed just by looking at her, no need to feel it out.
At a big event like the Oscars, Dunn's grand show of love for Hollywood wins him nods from the big shots.
It's all about building cred, one drop at a time.
Clutching his little gold statue, Dunn steps off the stage and into the famous "Winners' Walkway." The walls of this fancy gold-and-red-carpeted hall are lined with photos of iconic Oscar winners from history—Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, Paul Newman, Katharine Hepburn, Ben Affleck, Kate Winslet. No question, there's a spot waiting for Dunn!
Sure, he's only snagged the low-key Best Adapted Screenplay award this time, but by tomorrow at the latest, his picture's going up on that wall.
The routine's a hassle—posing for the committee's photographers, then the press, answering questions.
Dunn's not a fan of B Network, though. When they ask, "Who do you think will win Best Director?" he snaps back, "You'd be better off asking PricewaterhouseCoopers!"
After brushing off a few more questions, Dunn ducks out to the backstage area and runs into the British gentleman himself, Sir Michael Caine.
Christopher Nolan's already invited Dunn to join The Dark Knight, and Dunn's on board. Michael Caine's agreed in principle too, so they're basically partners now.
Caine's got a stellar rep in the industry—especially on set, where he's known for sticking up for the little guy, earning tons of respect from younger actors.
Spotting Dunn, he chuckles, "Looks like Best Supporting Actress is Natalie's for the taking."
Last year's Best Supporting Actor, Caine's set to present this year's Best Supporting Actress award—it's tradition.
Dunn grins. "Not a done deal yet. Can't jinx it!"
Caine shakes his head, laughing quietly.
The Oscars have been around for nearly a century, and the rules are tight. Women's acting careers tend to be shorter, so Best Supporting Actress usually goes to promising newcomers. Men, with longer careers, often see Best Supporting Actor go to veteran pros who've been overlooked for years.
Among today's young Hollywood starlets, Natalie Portman's the one everyone's watching!
Her performance in Erin Brockovich was jaw-dropping, and insiders are pretty much certain she's got this in the bag.
"Alright, I won't keep you—gotta get on stage," Caine says with a wave, heading off.
It hits Dunn then: the next award up is Best Supporting Actress!
"Damn it, these Oscars are messing with me!"
Fuming, Dunn sprints back to his seat.
Five minutes later, he's back with the Erin Brockovich crew, who are buzzing with excitement. After wins for Best Makeup and Best Adapted Screenplay, the film's just nabbed its third award—Best Supporting Actress!
Natalie's already on stage, taking the hefty statuette from Sir Michael Caine.
Dunn's kicking himself. He wasn't there to give her a hug the moment she won, and knowing Natalie, she's definitely going to give him grief about it later.
But she's in high spirits. As a Harvard grad, her speech game's leagues above Dunn's. She cracks jokes, thanks the whole Erin Brockovich team, and keeps the crowd laughing.
Then she turns the spotlight on Dunn. "I'm so grateful to the Academy for giving me this award—seriously, thank you! Because Dunn and I had a deal: whoever wins an Oscar first gets to control the TV remote at home! Looks like we're tied now—no, wait, I win! He got his Oscar at , but I'm only 20. I've got him beat!"
She knows her ace in the public eye isn't her Jewish roots, her Harvard degree, or even playing Queen Amidala—it's her boyfriend, Dunn Walker!
He's her biggest asset!
At major award shows like Cannes, the Golden Globes, and now the Oscars, Natalie's made a habit of name-dropping Dunn in her speeches with a playful jab. It always lands perfectly, just like she plans.
Right now, she's the only star in Hollywood bold enough to tease Dunn in public like that—and it gets her a standing ovation every time.
Down in the audience, Dunn's grinning up at her, clapping along with everyone else.
Nicole Kidman leans over and whispers, "Did you guys really make that deal?"
Control of the TV remote?
That's wild!
Dunn barely watches TV at home. When he's not working, he's usually curled up with a woman, enjoying some quality time.
"Nope," Dunn says, shaking his head like it's no surprise.
Nicole frowns, hesitates, then decides to play the good friend. She lowers her voice. "Dunn, I'll say this upfront—I've got nothing against Natalie personally. She's a great girl. Honestly, I don't think there's another actress in Hollywood as sharp as she is."
Dunn chuckles. "Nicole, what's your point?"
She bites her lip, wavering. "Don't you think she's too sharp? I mean, she's always leaning on your influence—"
"Enough!" Dunn cuts her off, frowning. "She's my girlfriend. I don't see anything wrong with that!"
Nicole presses on. "I get that she's got every right to, and I know you don't mind. But have you thought about what happens when she's used your clout to get everything she wants? Will she still stick by you? You know how your personal life is!"
Dunn catches her drift and laughs it off, looking at her. "You're worried about me?"
Nicole shrugs casually. "I just see you as a friend. I don't want you running into trouble down the line."
Dunn smirks. "Nicole, you're underestimating me! At the end of the day, Nat's just a woman. You don't think I can handle one woman, do you? I've been with plenty— if I couldn't manage that much, I'd be a total waste."
His cocky "women are toys" attitude ticks Nicole off. She huffs, glaring at him. "You think you can control everyone? I moved out, didn't I?"
Dunn shakes his head, unbothered. "That's because I see you as a friend. I respect you. I'm not trying to force you into anything. Otherwise, do you really think you'd have gotten away?"
Nicole goes quiet for a moment, then lets out a soft sigh. "Fine, I guess I should thank you."
"No need for thanks," Dunn says, leaning in with a sly grin. "Last time I was with Cate—Cate Blanchett—she pitched an idea I liked. She suggested I help you Aussie crew screen actresses, only sending the good ones to Hollywood. Out of respect for you, I didn't say yes right away. But it's a killer idea, don't you think?"
Nicole doesn't shoot it down, but she's annoyed. "Let's talk about that after you get me that Best Actress Oscar!"
Dunn raises an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Deal!"