Dunn has a fiery temper, but that doesn't mean he's some reckless idiot.
Peter Jackson's a New Zealander who came to Hollywood to make it big. It was a tough road, no doubt about it. Starting in the indie film scene, he clawed his way up, step by step, over more than a decade, until he finally broke into the mainstream. That's how he landed the chance to direct a massive project like *The Lord of the Rings*. Hard work pays off, right? 💪
So how could he possibly do something this dumb?
Dunn stayed cool as a cucumber, got Peter Jackson's phone number, and gave him a call himself.
Peter's accent was thick—Dunn had to really focus to catch every word. "I'm so sorry, Dunn, this is all a misunderstanding," Peter said.
Dunn frowned. "A misunderstanding? Nah, I Dunn't buy it. To me, this feels more like a slap in the face. 😠"
"No, no, no!" Peter's voice shot up, all panicky. "Dunn, hear me out! I *did* send you an invite—three months ago."
"Three months ago?" Dunn's eyebrow twitched.
"Exactly," Peter went on. "You remember how things were back then, right? The whole U.S. was laughing at you. I've been through that myself, and it sucks. So I wanted to help you out, let you lay low with my crew. It wasn't what you're thinking at all."
Dunn wasn't sure how much of that he could trust, but his anger toward William Mihawk was growing by the second. 😡
An invite from three months ago? That's something he could verify—it probably wasn't a lie.
But why would William suddenly dredge up a three-month-old invite out of nowhere? What's his game?
"Peter, I'm starting to believe there's a mix-up here," Dunn said, his eyes glinting. "But I think we need to sit down face-to-face. What do you say?"
Peter Jackson wasn't about to piss off a hotshot director with limitless potential. "Sure thing," he agreed quickly. "I messed up on this one, and I'll make it right."
If Dunn leaked this to the press, Peter's rep in the industry would be toast. With Dunn's fame and clout right now, even the biggest Hollywood heavyweights wouldn't dare offer him a measly assistant director gig—that'd be an insult! 😤
Good thing Dunn handled it… pretty maturely.
"Guess Dunn's temper isn't as wild and simple as the rumors say," Peter thought. "He's surprisingly level-headed. Lucky me!" 😅
After hanging up, Peter let out a relieved sigh, mulled it over for a bit, then called his assistant over. "Find out who Dunn Walker's agent is."
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Dunn sat there thinking for a while too, then cracked a smile, shook his head, and dialed another number. "Hey, Liv, it's Dunn."
"Oh my gosh! Dunn, hi!" Liv Tyler's voice bubbled with excitement. 😍
Dunn chuckled. "You free tonight? How about I treat you to dinner?"
Liv knew exactly what he was getting at and beamed. "Yes, I'd love that! It's an honor!"
"Cool, I'll pick you up later then."
Dunn looked relaxed. Another perfect night ahead, huh? 😉
---
The next day, Dunn rolled up to the Hilton Hotel lobby with Liv Tyler on his arm. Right there waiting was Peter Jackson, all smiles and eager to smooth things over.
Liv had no clue why Dunn brought her along today. She just thought the bearded guy looked kinda familiar. Then Dunn said his name, and it clicked—Peter Jackson! *That* Peter Jackson! 😲
Nothing was official yet, but word around the industry was that New Line Cinema was teaming up with Peter to bring the epic classic *The Lord of the Rings* to the big screen.
They headed to a room, and Peter spoke first. "Dunn, I think we've got this sorted out."
"Oh?" Dunn shot him a playful glance, smirking.
Peter flicked a cautious look at Liv.
Dunn grinned, wrapping an arm around her waist. "No worries, she's a friend."
Liv flashed a sweet smile, absolutely thrilled. Being buddies with a director this promising? That's a golden ticket for her career! 🌟
Peter lowered his voice. "Dunn, you know AA's going through some major upheaval right now, yeah?"
Dunn nodded.
AA—Creative Artists Agency—used to be the biggest talent agency in the U.S., practically running Hollywood. But it got hit hard with pushback. By 1995, things went south fast. Michael Ovitz jumped ship to be Disney's president, Ron Meyer took off to head Universal, Jay Maloney took his own life, and Ari Emanuel left to start Endeavor. With so many big shots bailing, the Hollywood giant was in chaos. Signed talent started fleeing left and right—including Peter Jackson.
Liv might've been in the biz, but these high-level Hollywood secrets still made her heart race. She could smell a conspiracy brewing. 😬
If even Liv could see it, Dunn sure as hell did too. His face darkened. "AA's using me as a damn pawn!"
Dunn was pissed! 😡
He was signed with AA as a director, but he never imagined he'd get dragged into some power struggle between massive companies.
In front of the media, Dunn had bragged about "$1.8 billion guaranteed," "crushing Spielberg with ease," and "my movie's a legend." Everyone thought he was a cocky, talented hothead with zero emotional IQ. But they didn't know it was all an act—Dunn hyping himself up on purpose.
If AA's script had played out, Dunn and Peter would've been at each other's throats by now, maybe even dragging Peter's agency A into the mess. Classic "borrow a knife to kill" move, huh?
AA sure played a slick hand.
Lucky for everyone, Dunn kept his cool and dug into it first instead of blowing it up impulsively.
Seeing Dunn's anger, Peter knew he'd dodged a bullet. "Dunn, this whole thing… it's on me for screwing up. If you ever need a favor, just say the word."
Dunn laughed. "Peter, don't be so formal. You meant well back then, didn't you?"
Peter exhaled in relief. "Glad you get it."
Dunn patted Liv's back. "Peter, meet Liv Tyler—a fantastic actress. Pretty stunning, right?"
Liv's heart was pounding so hard she could barely stand it. She knew exactly what Dunn was doing, and she was over the moon! 😍
All her scheming to get into elite parties, cozying up to big names like Dunn Walker—it was all for a shot at a better career. And now, after just two dates, without her even asking, Dunn was paving the way for her.
In all of Hollywood, was there a better guy than Dunn Walker? Loyal, generous—seriously! 😭
Right then, Liv's eyes sparkled like she was seeing stars. Dunn seemed perfect—beyond perfect. How lucky would she be to land him as a boyfriend?
Peter gave Liv a quick once-over. He knew this was Dunn's way of settling the score. "Hey, Liv," he said with a smile. "You've probably heard some buzz—I'm prepping a huge project, Tolkien's *The Lord of the Rings*. If you're up for it, come audition for my crew."
"Audition" was just a formality. With Dunn calling the shots, Liv was a shoo-in.
"Oh, I'd love that!" Liv beamed, her smile as bright as a peach blossom. "It's an honor to work with a director like you."
Peter nodded, then turned back to Dunn. Liv was small fry—not worth much thought.
"So, Dunn," he said. "What's your next move?"
Dunn's lips curled into a cold smirk. "Hmph. If AA wants to play dirty, I'm not some pushover! They're already falling apart—I Dunn't mind tossing some fuel on the fire!" 😏
Peter, a victim in this mess too, scowled. "Yeah, I'll talk to A and crank up the pressure. AA went way too far this time."
---
Leaving the Hilton, Liv didn't care one bit about paparazzi snapping pics. She snuggled right up to Dunn, clinging to his arm with a flirty grin. "Dunn, my place is tiny. Mind if I crash at yours for a while?"
Dunn couldn't help but admire her a little. She'd climbed up from the bottom, with some family savvy to back her up, and she knew how to play the game. He'd just handed her a huge gift, and she'd returned the favor quick. Hollywood's all about trades, after all.
"Sounds good to me," Dunn said, unbothered by the cameras. A little gossip? That just boosts his spotlight. 📸
Liv giggled, hesitated, then whispered, "Dunn, are you really gonna burn bridges with AA?"
"Oh?" Dunn's eyes lit up with curiosity. "What's your take?"
"Well," Liv said, "AA's got crazy influence. Even with their mess right now, it's not… I think firing your agent would be enough. No need to escalate—it's bad for everyone."
Dunn grinned. "Liv, I'm starting to like you. You're a sharp one."
"Thanks!" Liv blushed, then her eyes widened. "Wait… Dunn, you were bluffing back there, weren't you? You didn't mean what you said to Peter!"
Dunn shook his head, his face turning serious. "Liv, sometimes a woman's too smart for her own good—it makes her less charming."
Liv playfully nuzzled closer, whispering, "Dunn, I only said that because I trust you 100%. Otherwise, I'd never open my mouth."
Fair point. Dunn pushing her toward Peter had built him up as this amazing, larger-than-life figure in her eyes.
Dunn went quiet for a moment, then his expression turned mocking, edged with venom. "AA's trash, but A's any better? Let them tear each other apart—I just wanna know what I can squeeze out of it!" 😈
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