Eminem is box-office star

Rapper Eminem has successfully made the difficult leap from musician to actor with his very first movie.

His semi-autobiographical movie debut 8 Mile topped the American box office this weekend taking in a massive €55m on its first weekend.

It was the second-best opening ever for an R-rated film behind Anthony Hopkins’ Hannibal which debuted last year with €58m.

In 8 Mile, Eminem plays a young white singer struggling in the black-dominated hip-hop scene of Detroit’s bleak Eight Mile area, where Eminem grew up.

The film, which opens in the UK early next year, also stars Kim Basinger and Brittany Murphy.

It bumped last weekend’s Number One movie, The Santa Clause 2 starring Tim Allen into second place.

The movie’s huge opening indicates Eminem has gained more mainstream acceptance after critics branded him a homophobe and misogynist for violent, obscenity-laced lyrics.

"Eminem’s on top of the world,” says Paul Dergaraedian, president of US box-office tracking firm Exhibitor Relations. “Right now, he’s just the hottest thing going.”