Zoolander (2001) is a movie based on a pair of short films, produced and directed by Ben Stiller for the VH1 Fashion Awards television show in 1996. The short films, and the movie, feature a male model with a below-average intelligence. The title role (Derek Zoolander) is played by Ben Stiller, and his agent is played by father Jerry Stiller.

In Zoolander, the supremacy of Derek Zoolander of the male-modeling world is challenged by the up-and-coming Hansel (Owen Wilson), an acid-tripping, Great Spirit-worshiping throwback to the '60s. When his best friends are killed in a "freak gasoline-fight accident," Derek announces that he is retiring from the male modeling profession. He returns to the coal mines where his father and brothers work, but soon finds himself desperately out of place.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, the Prime Minister of Malaysia is working on abolishing child labor in his country. The evil world-wide organization which is the fashion industry is determined to retain Malaysia as a major source of cheap labor, and is desperate to thwart the incumbent Prime Minister's election. Fashion mogul Mugatu (Will Ferrell) is assigned to train a dull male model to become the assassin of the Prime Minister.

Zoolander is also notable for a plethora of celebrity cameo appearances, including Jules Asner, Lance Bass, Tyson Beckford, David Bowie, Andy Dick, Fred Durst, Fabio, Tom Ford, Cuba Gooding Jr., Lukas Haas, Tommy Hilfiger, Paris Hilton, Carmen Kass, Lil' Kim, Heidi Klum, Lenny Kravitz, Steve Kmetko , Natalie Portman, Frankie Rayder , Mark Ronson , Winona Ryder, Claudia Schiffer, Garry Shandling, Christian Slater, Gwen Stefani, Donald Trump, Donatella Versace, Veronica Webb and Billy Zane.

External link

• IMDb Entry for Zoolander