Denzel Washington’s latest film Training Day scored high at the US box office this weekend, taking in upwards of $24 million to cruise into the top spot. And if the final tallies hold true for the gritty cop drama, this will be Denzel’s biggest opening ever, topping last year’s sentimental football flick Remember The Titans.
Training Day stars Denzel as a crooked detective, a departure from his usual heroic roles. Ethan Hawke co-stars as a rookie in training while soul singer Macy Gray rounds out the cast. And while Macy was thrilled to hit the big screen playing the wife of a drug dealer, she admits an acting career wasn’t her motivation.
“To tell you the truth, it’s not the money or the movie,” she says. “It’s Mr Washington.”
Director Antoine Fuqua of The Replacement Killers personally courted the Grammy winner for the film. “He called me and I thought it would be about music,” says Macy. “But he wanted me to do this role and I was like, ‘Hell, yeah!’” The I Try singer isn’t the only MTV-friendly star to cross over in Training Day: rappers Dr Dre and Snoop Doggy Dog also make appearances.
Kate Beckinsale, hot in the US following the success of Pearl Harbor, continues to charm audiences across the Atlantic as her romantic comedy Serendipity co-starring John Cusack slips into the number two spot. In the decidedly sweet film, the couple meet by chance in a Manhattan department store and spend the rest of the night cavorting around New York. However, Kate’s character insists on letting fate play a hand in their relationship and over the next ten years the two wonder what might have been. Serendipity took in $14 million this weekend.
Rounding out the top five is the Michael Douglas thriller Don’t Say A Word, Ben Stiller’s male model comedy Zoolander and the teen fright-fest Joy Ride.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
