#1. “The Day the Earth Stood Still” ($31 million)
#2. “Four Christmases” ($13.3 million)
#3. “Twilight” ($8.01 million)
#4. “Bolt” ($7.51 million)
#5. “Australia” ($4.29 million)

20th Century Fox may have had a weak year at the box office — but “The Day the Earth Stood Still” came through for them over the weekend, grossing $31 million domestically, and $70 million worldwide.

Then again, it was an easy weekend for “Earth,” with only two new films to compete with — Freddy Rodriguez and John Leguizamo’s “Nothing Like the Holidays,” which came in at #7 with $3.5 million, and the animated “Delgo,” which brought in a sad $915,840, and didn’t even crack the top ten.

A handsome, dark-haired Irish actor with an intense screen presence, Colin Farrell shot to fame in the USA as a cagey army recruit with a penchant for troublemaking in "Tigerland" (2000). Like so many actors who seem to achieve overnight stardom, the Dublin-born actor had paid his dues with film and TV roles. Raised in the Castleknock section of Dublin, this son of a soccer player admits to a somewhat rebellious youth, attending several schools and indulging in beer drinking. After spending a year in Australia, he returned to Ireland and enrolled at the Gaiety School of Acting but left after a year when his career began to take off. Farrell landed his first film role in "Drinking Crude" (1997) and the following year had a supporting role in the period TV drama "Falling For a Dancer" (aired in the USA on Romance Classics). He then landed the regular role of Danny Byrne on the popular Irish series "Ballykissangel", which he played for two seasons.

Attractively rumpled blue-eyed blond performer Chad Michael Murray began as a model and successfully segued to an acting career with high profile roles on The WB on the small screen and parts as teen queen love interests on the big screen.

 A gifted performer who developed her talent at a young age, Cate Blanchett grew into exceptional actress who achieved international acclaim with her stunning Oscar-nominated turn as a young Elizabeth I in Shekhar Kapur’s “Elizabeth” (1998). Prior to that role, the engaging Australian found herself thrust in the spotlight with just her third feature, "Oscar and Lucinda" (1997), starring opposite Ralph Fiennes. As the headstrong proto-feminist heiress whose penchant for gambling draws her to a clergyman with the same predilections, Cate Blanchett delivered a star-making performance that garnered the attention of filmdom’s most esteemed directors. Alluring, yet elusive and possessing an innate intelligence coupled with malleable features – she sometimes seemed plain, but beautiful, often in the same shot – the actress quickly rose to international fame to become one of Hollywood’s most respected and revered talents.

Perhaps no actress had a faster ride to the top than Cameron Diaz, who was launched into stardom with “The Mask” (1994), her first-ever onscreen performance. Though originally slated for a minor role, Diaz won over the movie’s producers with her unique charm and looks, and took on the lead actress role with verve.

Before the public knew her name was Ali Larter, it was familiar with the face of Allegra Coleman. As the fictitious Hollywood bombshell, Larter became an “It Girl” sensation to smitten admirers everywhere long before she would become a hero to primetime NBC viewers on “Heroes” (2006- ). Her engaging appearances in projects often dovetailed with their moment of cultural impact, in a career that would come to reflect a remarkable “right time, right place” showcase for her abilities.

After making BOOTMEN, Adam Garcia was snapped up by US producer Jerry Bruckheimer for the lead role in Coyote Ugly for Touchstone Pictures.

Australian born Garcia last year won rave reviews and an Oliver nomination for his electric performance as Tony Manero in the West End production of Saturday Night Fever in the UK. The News of the World summarised perfectly with the line: "Travolta exploded to stardom as Tony Manero on celluloid and the devastatingly handsome, stunningly athletic Australian Adam Garcia does the same here. He's brilliant."

BIOGRAPHY

Despite a short-lived start on series television, actor Heath Ledger moved into features as a heartthrob in teen films, quickly developing into one of Hollywood’s most prominent and gifted talents, as well as a tabloid favorite for his very public relationships with actresses Naomi Watts and Michelle Williams.

BIOGRAPHY

A longtime favorite of frat boys and fan-boys alike, actress Jessica Alba started out in commercials before graduating to the small screen. Her turn as a pre-adolescent mean queen during the 1994-95 season of the children’s comedy series, “The Secret World of Alex Mack” (Nickelodeon, 1994-98), helped her land the role of Maya Graham for the first two seasons of “The New Adventures of Flipper” (Synd., 1994-2000).