Drew Barrymore recently looked back on the pressure she felt leading up to the opening weekend of the 2000 action-comedy Charlie’s Angels, admitting she was overwhelmed by anxiety over how the film would perform at the box office. The actress shared the story during an episode of The Drew Barrymore Show, where she said the stress had her “shaking in my pants” in the days before release.
Barrymore, who starred as Dylan Sanders and also served as one of the film’s producers through her company Flower Films, explained that the emphasis studios place on opening weekend results has dramatically intensified compared with earlier eras of filmmaking. She argued that success shouldn’t be judged solely on a film’s first couple of days, but acknowledged that at the time of Charlie’s Angels it felt like a “do-or-die” moment.
“I just hate it, but it got really rampant when we were opening Charlie’s Angels… So, of course, I was shaking in my pants, and I was so nervous,” Barrymore told her audience. She added that while the movie did indeed open strong, her relief was stronger than her joy, emphasizing how high the stakes felt. “If it didn’t go well, we’d be in big trouble,” she said.
The film ultimately exceeded expectations, grossing more than $40 million in its opening weekend and going on to earn over $260 million worldwide. Its success helped secure a sequel, Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, which arrived in theaters in 2003.
Looking back now, Barrymore’s candid reflection highlights how the culture around box office performance has shifted and the emotional toll that pressure can take on filmmakers and actors alike.
