Normally, Hollywood stars don't bother with auditions.
Stars are like directors—locked in early by producers at the start of a project. Then the producer takes the director and star lineup to pitch investors and studios to get the ball rolling.
Auditions are usually for small-time actors or background players.
Dunn Films doesn't play by that rule—at least not yet.
Right now, Dunn Films' movies all revolve around Dunn himself. If he doesn't greenlight it, it doesn't get made.
Since this audition was stacked with big names, Dunn Films pulled out all the stops. No cramped, awkward studio setup—they booked the Hilton Hotel instead.
They reserved twenty rooms for the twenty actresses auditioning.
The women could use the rooms to do makeup, rehearse, chat, or rest, then head to the presidential suite for their audition in top form. It also spared them the awkwardness of running into each other.
Sure, they all knew one another—some were even friends—but right now, they were rivals. Especially for a Dunn movie, the stakes were high, and no one was holding back.
Dunn didn't pull the stiff executive act. He popped into each room, keeping it casual and friendly to put them at ease.
"Uma, wow, you look stunning today—seems like you're ready to kill it!" Dunn's first stop was Uma Thurman's room.
She was deep in a tense chat with her agent, surrounded by six or seven assistants bustling around with serious faces.
When Dunn walked in, Uma blinked, then lit up. "Mr. Walker? Oh, sorry—I was caught up with work stuff and didn't see you come in."
Dunn grinned. "No worries. Just checking if you need anything."
"No, no, everything's great here!" Uma said, genuinely grateful. "I've been to tons of auditions, but this is the first time I've had such a nice setup."
Dunn chuckled. "You showing up for this audition is already doing me a favor. Of course we've got to roll out the red carpet."
Uma bit her lip, hesitating. "Mr. Walker, thanks for giving me this shot. I… I'm friends with Quentin, but with Harvey, it's just casual acquaintance stuff."
Her breakout hit was Pulp Fiction, tied to Miramax and Harvey Weinstein. Now she's gearing up for Kill Bill, again with Weinstein.
Everyone in the biz knows Dunn and Harvey Weinstein don't get along, so Uma's position is a little tricky.
Dunn waved it off, unfazed. "I'm not that petty. He's him, you're you! But… Uma, you probably know better than me what kind of guy he is. Working with him—just watch yourself, okay?"
Uma's eyes instantly welled up.
Dunn froze, then narrowed his eyes. "Did he mess with you?"
"N-no… nothing like that."
"That jerk—I won't let it slide!"
"No, no, Mr. Walker, you've got it wrong. Quentin's my friend—he… he's got my back."
Dunn's face darkened, and he let out a cold huff. "One's a big-shot producer, the other's a small-time actor. Who do you think he'd pick? Fine, if you don't want to talk, I won't push. But… Harvey Weinstein's a creep, and I'll deal with him eventually. If you need help, you know where to find me."
"Thanks."
Uma let out a breath—whether it was relief or a bitter sigh, who could tell?
After that, Dunn swung by the rooms of Jennifer Aniston, Neve Campbell, Denise Richards, Mary-Louise Parker, Diane Lane, Linda Fiorentino, Robin Tunney, and Winona Ryder, keeping it light and chatty.
Everyone was warm and polite with him.
But with their age gaps, no one got too chummy.
Chicago is a musical, heavy on female roles—not just eye candy, but parts needing real acting chops and stage experience.
So most of the actresses auditioning were in their thirties or forties.
Dunn wasn't exactly buzzing with interest, and they weren't bold enough to make a move.
That is, until he hit Catherine Zeta-Jones' room and spotted a radiant, flower-like smile. "Dunn?"
He blinked, caught off guard. "What are you doing here?"
It was Rachel Weisz!
"We're good friends—knew each other back in the UK," she explained.
"Oh? That so?" Dunn gave her a long look, then glanced at Catherine Zeta-Jones, who was smirking quietly. "Well, for the chemistry test, you two could pair up. Might spark something wild."
Rachel's face lit up. "Sweet!"
Catherine Zeta-Jones couldn't hold back a laugh. "Mr. Walker, does that mean we're skipping the first round and jumping straight to the chemistry test?"
Dunn chuckled. "Gotta go through the motions."
In the original Chicago, Catherine Zeta-Jones nailed it, even snagging an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Dunn set up this audition mostly to find the other lead—he wasn't thrilled with Renée Zellweger's take in the original.
As for Rachel Weisz… well, they go way back. Letting her breeze through round one was a no-brainer.
Catherine shooed out the staff, and Rachel didn't hesitate—she sidled up to Dunn, looping her arm through his with a playful pout. "How come you don't stop by my place anymore?"
"Work's been nuts."
"What about after this craziness dies down?"
"Ahem…"
Dunn shot a quick look at Catherine and cleared his throat. "Rachel, this is a work thing—let's keep it professional."
Catherine giggled. "No worries—want me to give you two the room?"
Before she finished, her expression shifted.
Rachel smoothly let go of Dunn's arm, flashing an awkward smile. "Mr. Douglas."
Douglas?
Dunn paused, then turned to see Michael Douglas—Catherine Zeta-Jones' husband—standing in the doorway.
"Sorry to interrupt?"
"Heh, no big deal," Dunn said, swallowing his irritation.
He eyed Michael Douglas, pushing sixty, then thought of the stunning, elegant Catherine Zeta-Jones from moments ago. It felt like a flower stuck in manure.
What can you do? The Douglas family's got clout in Hollywood.
For an actress, marrying into a dynasty like that can skyrocket her life and career. Who cares about a 25-year age gap?
"Mike, I think you've got it twisted. We're not auditioning male leads today. Plus… Chicago's a musical—your age isn't exactly a fit."
Dunn wasn't in the mood to play nice, bluntly calling out the guy's age.
But old man, young wife? Michael Douglas was used to the jabs. He laughed it off. "I'm not here for a lead role, ha! Just had a free day, so I tagged along with my wife to check things out."
Dunn's lip twitched, but he nodded. "Alright, I'll leave you to it. I've got stuff to handle upstairs."
Rachel trailed after him.
The second they stepped out, Dunn's face clouded over, and he growled under his breath, "Old geezer!"
Rachel pursed her lips, hesitating. "Mr. Douglas… he's probably using the family name to lock down this role for Catherine. I hear he's done it before—showing up in person to schmooze producers for her."
"Family clout?" Dunn scoffed, unimpressed. "I bet it's more than that!"
Rachel paused, then lowered her voice. "Old man, young wife—he's bound to be extra paranoid. And with your reputation… Catherine's griped to me a bunch about how he keeps tabs on her. She hates it."
Dunn's tone was icy. "He was on edge back when we shot Traffic. Now with Chicago, he's still pulling this crap? Does he really think these little tricks can stop me? In Hollywood, there's no woman I can't have if I want her!"
Rachel caught the edge in his words and tested the waters. "Dunn, are you… into her?"
"Hm?"
He glanced at her.
Rachel shook her head slowly. "We've known each other forever—I get her. She's ambitious, practical. Marrying an old guy like him? It's all about the connections the Douglas family brings. No way she's head over heels for a guy twice her age."
"Connections?" Dunn's eyes narrowed. "Heh, my network's not exactly weaker than the Douglas clan's! She's been in Hollywood how long—won anything? Chicago's a legit awards contender!"
"An awards contender?" Rachel's eyes sparked. "Oscars?"
"You bet!"
Rachel took a deep breath. She'd been dreaming of an Oscar too, but she's still green in Hollywood—too early for her shot.
For Catherine Zeta-Jones, though? It's her holy grail right now!
"If you gave her a solid guarantee, I bet… she wouldn't say no."
Rachel turned, locking eyes with Dunn.
He mulled it over, cooling off. "If I really wanted her, I'd have made a move during Traffic! She's married—I'm not out to wreck anyone's home."
Truth is, he and Michael Douglas don't have much beef. The guy's just overly cautious.
Catherine Zeta-Jones is gorgeous—stunning, wild, captivating—but Dunn's not about to tangle with the Douglas family over some fling with no real stakes.
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