The CIM Group built a shiny new entertainment complex at the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue, right near the Chinese Theatre. It opened its doors on November 9 last year, and they even struck a deal with the Oscars—over the next 20 years, every Academy Awards ceremony will be held there.
No doubt about it, that's a sweet deal!
Kodak, the film giant, shelled out $74 million for the naming rights to the theater for those 20 years.
From now on, it's the Kodak Theatre!
Dunn's got a bit of regret about this one. If he hadn't had that falling out with Kirk Douglas, he would've thrown his hat in the ring to bid on it himself.
Imagine—an IMAX Theatre, a Netflix Theatre, or maybe a Rose Theatre or Pixar Theatre. Pretty cool, right?
But the ultimate prize? The Dolby Theatre!
No worries, though. The digital age is here, and Kodak's clinging to their old-school film business like it's still the '90s. A global titan like that? They'll crash and burn fast.
That's the power of tech!
Once Kodak's too broke to keep up the naming fees, Dunn can swoop in. By then, his influence will be massive—Kirk Douglas won't stand a chance, no matter how much he meddles.
On March 24, 2002, the 74th Academy Awards rolled into the Kodak Theatre.
Dunn strutted in with A Beautiful Mind star Nicole Kidman on his left arm and Juno's Natalie Portman on his right, making one heck of an entrance.
Last year's Oscars? Dunn played it safe, paranoid that ABC, the broadcaster, might try to smear him.
Not this time. ABC's still airing it, but Dunn's throwing caution to the wind—he's loud, proud, and untouchable!
Michael Eisner wouldn't dare pull any stunts now.
This year's Oscars were heavily shadowed by the aftermath of the terrorist attacks. You could tell—the security team was beefed up big time compared to previous years. Even the red carpet bleachers had tighter rules: more reserved seating, random selection for applicants, and background checks to boot.
Beyond that, the big buzz was about a few things—Woody Allen showing up, an Oscar tribute montage, and whether Natalie Portman would snag Best Actress.
As the ceremony kicked off, Dunn sat smack between the A Beautiful Mind and Juno crews. To his left, Nicole Kidman was all smiles and charm; to his right, Natalie Portman radiated a cute, lively vibe.
A Beautiful Mind was the most politically correct film of the bunch, racking up eight nominations. Juno? Maybe the least politically correct—it nabbed two nods: Best Screenplay and Best Actress.
Oh, and the musical Moulin Rouge! scored seven nominations too.
"Director Baz Luhrmann actually wanted me for the lead in Moulin Rouge!," Nicole whispered to Dunn. "But I was shooting A Beautiful Mind, so I had to pass."
Baz Luhrmann, an Aussie director, struck out with Nicole but landed Naomi Watts instead. She ended up snagging a Golden Globe Best Actress nomination—solid work.
The "Aussie crew" really sticks together.
Dunn teased her with a grin, "What, you regretting it now?"
Nicole shook her head. "What's the point of regret? Besides, Naomi didn't get an Oscar nod, but A Beautiful Mind… it might just hand me one."
Dunn leaned in, voice low. "Trust me, Nicole, you're walking away with Best Supporting Actress tonight."
"Here's hoping!"
Nicole giggled softly.
The ceremony got rolling soon after. First up, Tom Cruise took the stage and introduced legendary filmmaker Errol Morris for a tribute to the art of montage.
Then came the night's first award—Best Supporting Actress!
Last year's Best Supporting Actor winner, Benicio Del Toro, stepped up. Under everyone's watchful eyes, he opened the envelope and boomed, "Nicole Kidman, A Beautiful Mind!"
The room erupted—everyone jumped to their feet, clapping like crazy.
Nicole rose slowly, tears glistening in her eyes. She hugged Dunn tight, then went down the line—Natalie, Russell Crowe, the works. Taking a deep breath, she lifted her skirt slightly with her right hand, straightened up, and glided to the stage with grace and poise.
After a bit of a rambling acceptance speech, Academy President Frank Pierson took the mic, delivering the opening remarks and welcoming the guests.
Nicole returned from backstage, clutching her shiny Oscar statuette. Her cheeks were flushed, and she was trembling with excitement.
"Dunn, you're amazing!"
Right then, she wanted nothing more than to throw herself into his arms, ready to give him anything he asked for.
She was over the moon.
This was an Oscar!
The first Australian actress to snag one!
In recent years, the "Aussie crew" had banded together, carving out a space in Hollywood with some real wins. Mel Gibson nabbed Best Director, Geoffrey Rush claimed Best Actor—but the women? They'd been waiting for their moment.
Now, Nicole Kidman had broken through!
She was proof that Aussie actresses could hold their own in Hollywood!
It also cemented her spot as the vice president of the Aussie hometown club—she was the top Aussie actress, no question.
With all that wrapped up in one, how could she not be thrilled?
Dunn held her hand, noticing it was sweaty, and smiled. "Relax, you're a big star! It's just a Best Supporting Actress award."
Last year, Natalie had won the same award for The Virgin Suicides!
Nicole shook her head, still buzzing. "You don't get it. You don't know what an Oscar means to us Aussie actors. You're American—you can't understand how hard it is for foreigners like us."
"American, huh…"
Dunn zoned out for a second.
"By the way, how'd you know I'd win this?" Nicole, still riding the high, wouldn't stop chattering.
Next up was Best Editing—The Unsinkable took it home. Not a huge deal, so Dunn kept joking with her. "Me? Easy. The Oscars run on two rules: one, political correctness; two, balancing art. A Beautiful Mind is peak political correctness. I'm not winning Best Director, so to balance things out, you had to win."
"What?!" Nicole's face fell, her post-win joy dimming a bit. "You can't win? That's so unfair! A Beautiful Mind is incredible—you're the real hero here!"
Dunn had already made peace with it. "Forget Kirk Douglas meddling—even without him, the Oscars wouldn't give me Best Director. I'm too young. Look at Titanic a few years back—same deal. I didn't win Best Director, but Kate Winslet took Best Actress."
"That's the art of balance?"
"Yup."
Nicole suddenly looked deflated. "But I don't want my win to come at your expense."
Dunn tickled her palm and winked playfully. "Hey, it's a mutual thing—don't sweat it."
Nicole shot him a flirty glare, then leaned in close and whispered, "Any Aussie actress you've got your eye on, just let me know."
Dunn nearly burst out laughing, grinning mischievously. "You can make that happen?"
Nicole straightened up, dead serious. "What do you think?"
Dunn winked again. "What about you?"
She rolled her eyes and huffed. After a half-minute pause, she muttered, "If you're in the mood, just call me."
Dunn's face lit up with a smug grin he couldn't hide.
Natalie pinched his thigh and huffed, "I can tell from that look—you're up to no good!"
"Heh."
Dunn was loving this—flanked by two gorgeous women. He leaned over to tease Natalie next. "She was just thanking me. So, when you win later, how're you gonna thank me?"
Natalie gave him a look. "Win? You're dreaming!"
"If you don't even have dreams, what's the difference between you and a salted fish?"
"Huh?"
Dunn coughed. "I mean… if you do win, what's my reward?"
Natalie bit her lip, glaring at him. "Your mind's in the gutter!"
"What? I didn't say anything!" Dunn protested, feigning innocence.
She snorted. "You don't have to—I know what you're thinking."
Dunn smirked. "Oh yeah? Tell me then—what's on my mind?"
"You're definitely thinking… about me and Scarlett… fooling around with you." Her cheeks flushed a little.
Dunn's eyes widened in mock surprise. "Nat, you've got me all figured out!"
She tilted her nose up. "Your head's full of women—what's so hard to guess?"
"Heh." Dunn didn't bother defending himself. "So, you in?"
"For what?"
"You, me, and Scarlett—together."
Her face went cold, and she huffed, "In your dreams!"
"I could help you win Best Actress, you know."
"Then we'll talk after I win!"
Natalie pouted slightly.
Dunn grinned, feeling cocky, and whispered, "Deal. Even if I run into a ton of hot girls at the Vanity Fair party tonight, I'll still head home!"
The topic made Natalie squirm. She wanted that Best Actress win, sure, but the idea of some wild fling with Dunn and Scarlett? It made her nervous, anxious, uneasy.
Her family was super traditional and conservative. When she filmed The Virgin Suicides and had that kissing scene with Nicole Kidman, her dad ripped into her back home—called it a betrayal of faith, a blasphemy against God.
If she ended up in bed with Dunn and Scarlett…
She'd never done anything like that, but she'd chatted with plenty of women at the Hillside Manor. She knew what went down when three people got together.
Kissing another woman? Pretty standard stuff.
She didn't mind Scarlett, but something about it still gnawed at her.
"Cirque du Soleil's here—look, I love their shows!"
Natalie pointed at the dimming stage, quick to change the subject.
Next up was the world's top troupe, Cirque du Soleil, performing a dance inspired by movies and visual effects.
Dunn puffed up, all bravado. "You like 'em? Easy—I'll buy them and give them to you!"
Theater troupes? Dunn Films would get into that business sooner or later.
Just like Disney.
Forget Broadway musicals or Vegas spectacles—theme parks alone needed stuff like this.