Rowan Atkinson Cracks the Yank Market

Rowan Atkinson unwinds in his dressing room after a guest spot on The Tonight Show plugging his new movie, Johnny English. ''I was very nervous for the first few minutes,'' confesses the 48-year-old British comedian. ''I'm not a naturally funny person. I'm not improvisational. And there's this enormous obligation to be entertaining.'' Atkinson did just fine -- scoring laughs by removing his pants -- but the pressure was clearly on: Although an enormous star worldwide (among British actors he's second only to Hugh Grant at the global box office), he's still a cult figure here (thanks to imports like Mr. Bean). But his spy-spoof movie could change all that, potentially becoming his American breakthrough (overseas gross so far: more than $120 million). His goal tonight, of course, is to get Leno watchers to see English. ''Achieving success in the U.S. isn't something I hanker for on a personal level, and it's not really necessary for commercial reasons,'' Atkinson says. ''But it would be nice. It's nice when two people like you, but it's even nicer when three like you.''