Entertainment

<i>Angels</i> Fly High With Another $25M

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

October 23, 2000 / 10:18 AM EDT / CBS

A son of Satan challenged Charlie's Angels for dominance at the theater turnstiles this weekend –- and lost.

CBS News Early Show Contributor Laurie Hibberd reports that despite early industry projections that this race would be as close as Bush and Gore, Adam Sandler's Little Nicky was unable to knock Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, and Lucy Liu out of the top spot. In fact, he didn't even come close.

Charlie's Angels will likely make $75 million before Thanksgiving with a projected total of $150 million. The movie is crossing generational and gender lines, appealing to men and women, young and old

Here are the numbers according to Hollywood.com:

Charlie's Angels continued to kick box-office butt, remaining in the top spot with $25 million.
Little Nicky opened at No. 2 with a strong (but a bit disappointing) $18.6 million.
Men Of Honor debuted at No. 3 with $14 million.
Meet The Parents continued its unbelievable blockbuster run, adding another $10 million to its total take of over $130 million.
And Red Planet opened in a disappointing fifth place.

It's safe to say that Little Nicky's solid numbers came on the reputation of Adam Sandler, but a strong supporting cast also helped. It included Welsh actor Rhys Ifans, who's proud of the film, but says he doesn't get hung up on the whole box office numbers thing.

"I just hope, you know, it will make a lot of people laugh," said Ifans. "But I don't really look at scoreboards, or you know, chart success. I'd be a pop singer if I wanted to do that."

In Little Nicky, Ifans plays a son of the devil, battling his brother Nicky for control of the underworld.

"It's sort of the most theatrical performance I think I'll ever give on film. Once you get all that heavy velvet on, and once you stick a couple of horns on, you feel suitably evil."

His character may be evil, but working with writer, executive producer, and star Sandler was anything but.

"He just assembles such a great team of people around him," Ifans said, talking about Sandler. "It's a very un-Hollywoody workplace. He's a very astute comedian and actor, you know, and he thinks very carefully about his smut."

American audiences may have a hard time recognizing Ifans in Little Nicky. The role allowed him to clean up his act a bit.

"I'm just at the sort of foothills, hopefully, of my career in the States," said Ifans. "My work in Britain has been a lot more extensive. And I don't always play the scuzzy guy at home, you know?"

It was his breakthrough role in Notting Hill that made him a lovable scuzzball to American audiences.

"I sort of like the freedom of scuzzing up. You know, that gives you a lot more options as an actor, I think," he said.

He said he realy enjoys being a supporting actor. "It's fun, you know, and the pressure's off, too. If you haven't got as much screen time you can really sort of utilize that and make it memorable," said Ifans.

Scene-stealing turns in The Replacements with Keanu Reeves and now Little Nicky have opened a lot of doors for Ifans in Hollywood.

"I just feel a lot better, you know, 'cause now, I've got a lot more choice as an actor. You know? And I really love working up here," he said, talking about the U.S.

He claims success hasn't changed his life much in Britain.

"When I go back to Wales, it just mean I buys the drinks."