Chapter Summaries

Irene and the casting team auditioned actors for Will Turner, weighing physical appeal against the character’s emotional depth. Chris Evans finished his audition, and Orlando Bloom began, leaving the search for the role unresolved.

• Irene reviewed the Will Turner candidates as the casting team debated the qualities the role required and discussed their preferred actors.
• Chris Evans auditioned with the scene of Will preparing to seek Captain Jack’s help and demonstrated strength and sword skills, but Irene and the others found his performance lacking in emotional depth.
• Irene recorded that Chris Evans’s action scenes met the mark but that he missed Will’s inner confusion, then invited him to leave.
• Orlando Bloom entered, eased into the role by touching the anvil, and began a restrained, elegant performance that showed concern for Elizabeth.

Irene and the other evaluators watched auditions for Will Turner, debating each actor’s strengths and weaknesses. Henry Cavill entered last, and the chapter ended as he prepared to perform the scene with Captain Jack.

• Orlando Bloom performed with a reserved, elegant presence, but Irene noted that he lacked grit and decisiveness.
• Heath Ledger brought anger and intensity to Will, but the evaluators criticized his lack of restraint and controlled swordsmanship.
• Dwayne Johnson impressed with his strength but seemed too bulky and lacked the agility and approachability the role required.
• James McAvoy delivered a nuanced performance, but Irene objected that his slight build did not suit a blacksmith and closed his file.
• Henry Cavill entered, exchanged a polite nod with Irene, and was told to begin the scene with Captain Jack.

Henry Cavill impressed the audition panel with his performance as Will Turner and won unanimous support for the role. As Irene and Shelly left the audition, Irene spotted Henry waiting beneath the trees.

• Henry Cavill performed Will Turner's emotional plea and impressed the panel with his acting and physical presence.
• Henry demonstrated his sword skills when Irene asked whether he knew how to fence.
• Irene suspected Shelly Ovitz had prepared Henry with advance information, but Shelly admitted he had used her character notes to help him prepare.
• The panel unanimously chose Henry Cavill as Will Turner, and Irene agreed to have his agent contacted to sign the contract.
• Irene told Shelly that Henry had earned the role by making the best use of the materials given to every auditioning actor.
• Irene spotted Henry waiting beneath the trees after the audition.

After Henry Cavill was cast as Will Turner, he reunited with Irene and explained why he had not contacted her since they met in Hawaii. Irene welcomed him as a co-star and laid out the contract and training requirements for Pirates of the Caribbean.

• Shelly told Henry Cavill he had won the role of Will Turner, and Henry asked Irene to speak with him privately.
• Henry told Irene he had moved to Los Angeles a year earlier to pursue acting, encouraged by her words in Hawaii and supported by his family.
• Henry explained he had avoided contacting Irene because he felt too inexperienced and feared the imbalance between them would spoil their memory of Hawaii.
• Irene told Henry he had earned the right to stand beside her and confirmed he would play Will Turner in Pirates of the Caribbean.
• Irene instructed Henry to contact Jerry's team to finalize a three-film contract and begin physical and sword-fighting training.

Irene encouraged Henry to keep training for Will Turner and asked him to help with Elizabeth Swann's auditions. After Shelly warned her that Loren's relationship with her could be tied to his father Beard Fergus's career at Fox, Irene tried to call Loren but decided to let time reveal his true feelings.

• Irene urged Henry to sign the contract, continue acting training, and prepare to help actresses audition for Elizabeth Swann.
• Shelly teased Irene about her past with Henry, and Irene said she was committed to Loren.
• Shelly explained that Beard Fergus's position at Fox was precarious after major film flops and that he needed Pirates of the Caribbean to succeed.
• Irene realized that her relationship with Loren might be entangled with Beard's interests and wondered whether Loren's feelings were genuine.
• Irene called Loren but reached a busy signal, then hung up and decided time would show where she stood with him.

After Henry Cavill auditioned for Irene’s film and won the role of Will Turner, Irene told Britney about their unexpected reunion. Britney urged Irene to leave Loren and decided to investigate him herself.

• Irene recalled being a fan of Henry Cavill in her previous life and felt surprised and happy to meet him again before he became famous.
• Irene told Britney that Henry had auditioned for Will Turner and that the production team had cast him.
• Britney teased Irene about rekindling her old connection with Henry and urged her to break up with Loren.
• Britney argued that Loren’s family troubles and his outing with a woman who resembled Irene were suspicious, but Irene dismissed her concerns.
• Britney decided to investigate Loren and called her assistant, Bella, to ask about paparazzi or private investigators.

Britney had a detective follow Loren and learned he was spending time with Ellie, including a visit to a hotel, while Irene was busy preparing for the movie. Irene then received paparazzi photos showing Loren and Ellie in an intimate pose outside the hotel, and she was left staring at the evidence without responding.

• Britney hired a detective through Bella to follow Loren and document any suspicious meetings with women besides Irene.
• The detective reported that Loren regularly met Ellie, took her to art exhibitions and the park, walked her home, and visited a hotel with her.
• Britney ordered Bella to preserve the evidence and investigate Ellie's schedule rather than distract Irene during her film preparations.
• Shelly told Irene that a paparazzo had photos of Loren with a woman and threatened to sell them to tabloids unless they received an answer by four that afternoon.
• Irene opened the envelope and saw photos of Loren holding Ellie around the waist outside a hotel, then sat in silence as Shelly waited for her decision.

Irene learned that Britney had arranged for Loren and Ellie’s photos to be leaked and decided not to suppress them, instead focusing on the film auditions. At Disney Studios, Irene began Bryce Dallas Howard’s audition, but Loren’s call abruptly silenced the room.

• Irene told Shelly not to let the photos disrupt her film preparations, but Shelly reported that Britney had stopped him from buying them.
• Britney admitted she had arranged for Bella to leak the photos and urged Irene to let them come out and break up with Loren.
• After hearing Britney and Shelly’s advice, Irene decided not to buy the photos and put Shelly in charge of discreet public relations while keeping the auditions on schedule.
• The next morning, Irene arrived at Disney Studios and began Bryce Dallas Howard’s audition for Elizabeth Swann.
• Loren called Irene during Bryce’s audition, and everyone in the room stopped to watch her.

After a day of auditions, Irene remained unable to choose an actress for Elizabeth and ignored Loren’s repeated calls. When Loren waited outside the studio to explain that the photos of him and Ellie were fake, Irene faced him with growing indifference, while Henry watched from a distance.

• Irene ignored Loren’s call and resumed Bryce Dallas Howard’s audition, noting that Bryce lacked Elizabeth’s resolve.
• Irene and the team auditioned seven actresses, but none convinced everyone, so Jerry postponed the vote until the next morning.
• Martha praised Henry’s work in the audition scenes, while he noticed Irene’s exhaustion and chose not to question her.
• Irene left the studio and learned that Loren had waited at the gates all day; she declined Shelly’s offer to accompany her and walked over to him.
• Loren urgently insisted that the photos with Ellie were fake, but Irene’s calm, distant expression left him unable to continue his explanation.
• Irene remembered Loren’s intimacy with Ellie and his messages, and the last of her reluctance faded as Henry watched silently nearby.

Irene listened to Loren explain his actions with Ellie, but ended their relationship because he had failed to respect her feelings and communicate honestly. After Irene walked away, Henry watched her leave and quietly decided to give her space.

• Loren explained that he had helped Ellie find a hotel after her father was hospitalized and showed Irene his call history and hotel receipt.
• Irene said she believed nothing physical had happened but criticized Loren for hiding the situation and crossing boundaries instead of communicating with her.
• Irene told Loren they were not right for each other and ended their relationship before leaving for the production studio.
• Loren stayed behind in disbelief and regret as Henry watched from the shadows and recalled Irene leaving him two years earlier.
• Henry chose not to approach Irene and quietly left, believing she needed time alone.

After ending her relationship, Irene joined Disney and Fox executives to choose Elizabeth Swann for Pirates of the Caribbean. The debate narrowed the candidates to Rosamund Pike and Kate Knightley, and Jerry asked Irene to make the final call.

• Irene left the studio after ending her relationship and felt relieved rather than sad.
• Jerry Bruckheimer, Amy Pascal, Adelaide Griffin, John Owen, and Martha Carter argued over the strengths of Kirsten Dunst, Rosamund Pike, Kate Knightley, and Emily Blunt.
• Irene ruled out Emily Blunt as too mature for the role and set aside Kirsten Dunst because her schedule would likely conflict with Spider-Man.
• Irene focused on Rosamund Pike and Kate Knightley as the remaining candidates.
• Jerry weighed the candidates' strengths and weaknesses, then asked Irene to decide who best fit Elizabeth Swann.

Irene helped choose Kate Knightley to play Elizabeth Swann and arranged intensive training for her. She then went to Los Angeles International Airport to help her fussy cousin Nicholas collect a crate of dinosaur fossils, where reporters ambushed them with questions about his film, relationships, and Irene’s breakup with Loren.

• Irene persuaded Jerry, John, Amy, and Adelaide to cast Kate Knightley as Elizabeth Swann and begin her intensive training the following week.
• After receiving a message from Lisa Marie Presley about Nicholas’s fossil crate, Irene left the studio to meet him at the airport.
• Irene found Nicholas anxiously inspecting his luggage and complaining that airport handlers might have damaged his precious fossils.
• Reporters confronted Nicholas with questions about Captain Corelli’s Mandolin and his relationships, then asked Irene whether Loren had cheated on her.
• Irene refused to comment on private matters and pulled Nicholas away to the parking lot, while he worried about the reporters’ stories and Lisa’s reaction.

Irene and Nicholas argued about their careers, relationships, and his proposed cameo in Pirates of the Caribbean as she drove him to his Los Angeles home. After they arrived, Irene criticized him for keeping the house he had shared with Patricia, and Nicholas shut down the subject.

• Irene and Nicholas traded barbs about their film choices, their relationships, and their difficulties with reporters.
• Irene said she was choosing between Jim Carrey and Johnny Depp for Captain Jack and told Nicholas to stay available for a possible cameo.
• Nicholas agreed to consider a pirate-leader cameo but objected when Irene told him to avoid other roles for the rest of the year.
• Irene admired Nicholas's antique home while pointing out its age and asking whether living there alone felt lonely.
• Irene reminded Nicholas that he had kept the house where he and Patricia had married instead of giving it to her in the divorce, and Nicholas told her not to meddle.

Irene brought Nicholas to stay with her family in Malibu and warned him to be cautious with his finances. Nicholas dismissed the concerns, leaving Irene and Francis worried about the investments managed by his adviser.

• Irene convinced Nicholas to leave his Beverly Hills house and stay with her in Malibu.
• Eleanor welcomed Nicholas, and Francis teased him when he arrived at Irene's home.
• Over dinner, Nicholas complained that good acting roles were hard to find and mentioned that his Beverly Hills house might be worth twelve million dollars.
• Irene warned Nicholas that his financial adviser could be steering him into risky investments, and Francis offered to connect him with trusted advisers.
• Nicholas rejected their advice and insisted that he knew what he was doing with his money.

Irene persuaded Nicholas to review his investments, then confronted his financial adviser Mark Stanley with evidence that he had diverted Nicholas’s money through a shell company. Nicholas remained uncertain and asked Mark whether the accusations were true.

• Irene warned Nicholas that his past investment losses and unchecked finances put his wealth at risk, and Nicholas agreed to review his portfolio.
• Irene accompanied Nicholas to meet Mark Stanley and gave him a financial risk checklist.
• Nicholas asked Mark for a breakdown of his investments, and Mark explained the losses as temporary market fluctuations.
• Irene accused Mark of transferring Nicholas’s money to a Cayman Islands shell company and presented evidence linking him to questionable investments.
• Mark denied the accusations and reminded Nicholas that earlier investments had made money.
• Nicholas asked Mark whether he had really put his money into a shell company.

Irene exposed Mark’s fraudulent investments and forced him to recover Nicholas’s assets within three days. After lunch, Irene and Nicholas went shopping for a gift, but Irene’s mood changed when she recognized someone entering the Hermès boutique.

• Irene confronted Mark with evidence that his investment projects were illegal or fictitious and ordered him to recover the assets within three days.
• Nicholas threatened Mark and agreed with Irene that they would report him if the money was not returned.
• Irene warned Nicholas not to trust risky investments, and he thanked her by taking her to lunch and promising to buy her a gift.
• Irene and Nicholas ate at Lemaire Restaurant, then went to Rodeo Drive and entered Hermès.
• Irene admired a crocodile Birkin and a Kelly bag, then turned toward a new arrival and lost her smile when she recognized the person.

Irene ran into Loren and Ellie at Hermès and left after buying two expensive bags, while Ellie tried to imitate her purchase. Ellie was unable to buy the limited-edition Birkin and paid for a costly alternative herself, with Loren refusing to cover it.

• Irene saw Loren and Ellie at the boutique and concluded that their behavior about Ellie's father showed a lack of empathy.
• Irene bought a limited-edition Birkin and a Kelly, then left with Nicholas without speaking to Loren or Ellie.
• Ellie asked to buy a matching misty-blue crocodile-skin Birkin but learned that she was not eligible to purchase one.
• Ellie chose a misty-blue ostrich-skin Birkin priced at nine thousand dollars and looked to Loren for help.
• Loren urged Ellie to reconsider but did not offer to pay, so Ellie handed over her credit card and completed the purchase.

Ellie bought the expensive bag Irene had chosen, while Irene resolved to focus on her career rather than pursue love. After Jim Carrey rejected a three-picture deal, Irene urged Jerry Bruckheimer to move forward with Depp as Captain Jack.

• Ellie spent $9,000 on the bag and Loren warned her not to compare herself with others, then suggested she return to New Zealand after her father recovered.
• Nicholas asked Irene about seeing Loren and Ellie, and Irene explained that trust and loyalty were essential to her in a relationship.
• Nicholas suggested Irene consider casual relationships, but Irene said she would focus on acting and let love take its course.
• Jerry Bruckheimer told Irene that Jim Carrey had rejected the three-picture deal, and Irene said they should proceed with Depp if he agreed to the contract.
• Irene suggested turning the planned audition into a costume fitting and chemistry session so Depp could begin preparing for Captain Jack.

After Johnny Depp signed on to Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Fox and Disney held a press conference to introduce the film and its cast. Irene explained the story’s origins and casting choices, then confirmed plans for at least three films.

• Irene advised Jerry to pursue Johnny Depp, prepare pirate-focused training, and have the costume department ready a costume for his audition.
• Johnny Depp officially signed with the production, and the film’s title became Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.
• Fox and Disney held a press conference on August 2, 2001, with Irene, Johnny Depp, Henry Cavill, Kate Knightley, and the production team in attendance.
• Irene told reporters that pirate exhibits at the Glenvaria Hotel in Hawaii had inspired the story.
• Irene praised Johnny Depp, Henry Cavill, and Kate Knightley for their fit with their roles and said she expected their different levels of experience to create strong chemistry.
• Irene confirmed that the planned Pirates of the Caribbean series would have at least three films.

After the press conference for Irene's new film, she attended The Princess Diaries premiere and met Anne Hathaway, praising her performance and expressing hope they could work together. Irene watched the film and considered a possible future collaboration with Anne and producer Julia Roberts.

• Irene expressed confidence in her film and joined Johnny Depp, Henry Cavill, and Kate Knightley for a group photo after the press conference.
• Amy Pascal invited Irene to The Princess Diaries premiere, where she could meet Anne Hathaway.
• Irene met Anne Hathaway backstage, complimented her portrayal of Mia, and exchanged hopes of working together in the future.
• Irene greeted Julia Roberts at the screening and considered her as a potential collaborator for the right project.
• Irene watched The Princess Diaries and saw the audience respond warmly to Anne's portrayal of Mia.