"Roy?" Dunn paused, thrown off for a second. He knew a few people named Roy. "Which Roy?"
Tom Rothman leaned in, his tone hushed and secretive, like he was treading on dangerous ground. "The Disney one."
Dunn chuckled, finally piecing it together. "Oh, you mean Mr. Roy Disney! Of course I know him—he's the co-founder of Disney, Walt Disney's younger brother."
"No, no, no," Tom Rothman shook his head quickly. "You're thinking of Roy Oliver Disney. I'm talking about his son—Roy Edward Disney, Little Roy."
Dunn's expression shifted slightly as it clicked. He got why Tom was being so cagey now.
This was a Disney scandal.
Back in the day, after founders Walt Disney and Roy Disney passed away, control of the company fell to Walt's son-in-law, Ron Miller, and Roy's son, Little Roy. The power struggle that followed nearly tanked Disney entirely.
By 1984, things hit a boiling point. The shareholders stepped in, sidelining Walt's faction and cementing Little Roy Disney's position. They even shelled out big bucks to bring in Michael Eisner as a heavy hitter to balance the scales and keep the ship steady.
But Little Roy couldn't even stand his own brother-in-law—did anyone really think he'd tolerate an outsider like Michael Eisner?
For over a decade, the two factions had been at each other's throats, never letting up.
Thing was, Eisner's track record was too damn good. He'd taken a company on the brink of collapse and turned it into a global media juggernaut. That made him the undisputed king of Disney—his word was law.
Even Disney's president, COO, and ABC Group chairman, Robert Iger, was an Eisner handpick, a loyal right-hand man.
But was Iger really Disney's number two?
Not even close. The real second-in-command was Little Roy Disney—vice chairman, executive director, and head of the animation division!
Tom Rothman bringing up Little Roy Disney out of the blue? Dunn caught his drift immediately.
No wonder this guy had clawed his way to the top, shoving Bill Mechanic out of Twentieth Century Fox. When it came to power plays, Tom Rothman was a pro!
Dunn and Michael Eisner? That was a blood feud—no truce, no surrender.
The current calm? Purely surface-level.
Tom Rothman saw through it and was nudging Dunn toward a sharper strategy.
Sure, Dunn had a golden touch with movies, but Disney's empire was massive—way beyond what Dunn Films could shake. To take Eisner down for good, Dunn needed allies with real muscle!
Michael Ovitz was one. Jeffrey Katzenberg was another. But those were outside forces. If Disney stayed united internally, Dunn wouldn't have a crack to exploit.
Find an insider ally, though? Hit Eisner from both sides—inside and out—and he'd be done for!
Even Dunn had to hand it to him—Tom Rothman hadn't beaten Bill Mechanic by accident. Mechanic was a film guy, great at management and production. Rothman? He read people, mastered the game of power.
Success wasn't luck, and facing this "old rival," Dunn quietly admired his razor-sharp insight.
Roy Disney… he was the heaviest chain around Michael Eisner's neck!
Tom Rothman caught the flicker in Dunn's eyes and knew he'd gotten the message. With a slight smile, he played it off like nothing happened. "Alright, go chat with Tim then. I'm thinking of bringing him on to oversee Planet of the Apes."
Dunn nodded. "Oh, and Tom—have someone send over Fox's movie data from the last few years tomorrow. Detailed stuff: costs, profits, ROI, the works."
Tom Rothman's eyes lit up, his excitement palpable. "You got it!"
…
Dunn was in high spirits. He'd just climbed over Michael Eisner's head in front of Hollywood's elite, and the respect he'd earned was clear in their eyes and tones.
Tom Rothman's tip? That was a bonus—a fresh angle to take on EisAner.
Dunn Films was unstoppable in the movie game right now. But to grow into a full-blown ecosystem, Disney would be standing in the way, no question about it!
With Eisner's personality, he'd never just sit back and let Dunn Films rise.
Dunn had to strike first!
Just then, Nicole Kidman's soft voice floated over from behind. "Done with work talk?"
Dunn grinned and turned around. Next to the stunning Nicole Kidman stood a strikingly beautiful girl.
She wore a black backless gown, her long, slightly curled hair cascading over her shoulders. Red lips like fire, eyes like water, a killer figure—curvy hips, full and firm—every inch of her oozed allure.
Dunn had seen plenty of beauties, but he couldn't help stealing a few extra glances. "And this lovely lady is…?"
Nicole Kidman stepped forward with a dazzling smile. "A little gift for you. Like it?"
Dunn shook his head, laughing. "Nicole, you're such a tease!"
"Who's teasing?" Nicole shot him a look, then grabbed the girl's hand and placed it in Dunn's.
Dunn held the soft, delicate hand, catching the girl's shy expression. Surprised, he glanced at Nicole. "You're seriously giving her to me?"
"What, you think I'm joking? Don't tell me you don't like her!" Nicole huffed.
Dunn cleared his throat and looked at the girl. "She's for real?"
"Yeah."
"You'd really stick with me?"
"Absolutely!"
"What's your name?"
"Rose. Rose Byrne."
Rose Byrne?
Dunn's eyes widened slightly. No wonder she looked so familiar.
Seeing him zone out, Nicole Kidman gave him a shove, annoyed. "What, a gorgeous girl handed to you on a platter, and you're passing?"
"No, it's not that…" Dunn frowned, thinking it over. "Nat mentioned she made a good friend on set named Rose Byrne. That wouldn't be you, would it?"
"It's me," Rose admitted, her cheeks flushing.
Dunn grimaced. "Well, that's a problem!"
"A problem?" Nicole scoffed. "Don't act like I don't know—Natalie's never cared about your personal life."
Dunn shook his head, serious. "She doesn't say it, but that doesn't mean she doesn't care. Rose is her good friend—I can't just sleep with my girlfriend's bestie, can I? Even if she doesn't say it, she'd be upset."
"Oh, come on, it's not that dramatic!" Nicole snapped, getting irritated.
Dunn stood his ground. "It's about respecting Nat."
"Bull!" Nicole gritted her teeth. She'd spent three years with Dunn—she knew him inside out. "Rose is the most promising new Aussie actress out there. She just won Best Actress at Venice. You have to help her."
Rose clung to Dunn's hand, looking up at him with pleading eyes. "Sir, I like you. I want to be with you. I'll behave—I'll do whatever you want."
Dunn hesitated, putting on a reluctant act.
Nicole puffed up, fuming. "Dunn, if you turn her down this time, don't expect me to hook you up with any more Aussie girls—ever!"
Dunn smirked, ignoring the crowd at the party and the fact that Rose was right there. He reached out to pull Nicole in. "I've got you—that's plenty."
Nicole swatted his arm away. "What, you planning to hog me forever?"
"It's not that extreme…"
Mid-sentence, it hit him. He stared at Nicole, shocked. "Wait—you're not trying to pawn Rose off on me to take your place, are you?"
Nicole turned her head, not denying it. "I can't be with you forever."
"Oh…"
It clicked for Dunn. No wonder Nicole was pushing so hard—she wanted Rose to step in, keeping the "Aussie crew" influence alive by his side.
"But Nicole, a stunner like you? I'm not done enjoying you yet…" Dunn lowered his voice, but Rose, standing close, still heard. Her ears turned red with embarrassment.
Nicole was used to it. She rolled her eyes and bit her lip. "Rose is gorgeous too. I've been with you three years—Hollywood's full of pretty girls, and Australia's got tons of beauties. Why keep clinging to me? That's boring."
Dunn sighed. "You're just so captivating—more intoxicating than fine wine."
"I'm 33," Nicole softened, leaning into him. "How many years of 'captivating' do I have left? Young girls are great—sweet, thoughtful, full of life. Look at Rose—gorgeous, right?"
Dunn turned, giving Rose another thorough once-over. "She's stunning. Great figure too."
Nicole grinned. "See? Try something new! If you don't like her, I'll find you another Aussie girl. We've got beauties to spare!"
Rose sidled up to Dunn's other side, mimicking Nicole's gentle tone. "Yeah, sir, just give me a shot. If you don't like me, I swear I'll walk away—no clinging…"