A real-life ‘Zoolander’ (or not) | Lifestyle.INQ

OCTOBER 27, 2022

PENSHOPPE'S Denimlab Fashion Show.
SEAN on the runway at Penshoppe’s Denimlab Fashion Show. PHOTO BY ALANAH TORRALBA

 

(Warning: For people who haven’t seen the “Zoolander” movie, there may be spoilers.)

Just recently, a “Zoolander” sequel was announced along with the surprise appearance of Ben Stiller’s and Owen Wilson’s respective alter egos, Derek Zoolander and Hansel, on the Valentino runway during Paris FashionWeek.

During his one-on-one interview with Inquirer Super, we couldn’t help asking Sean O’Pry what he thought of the movie’s exaggerated portrayal of male models, and if he’d be willing to take a cameo role in the sequel.

(READ: A Super date with Sean O’Pry)

For all its satirical jabs at the fashion world, the 2001 cult comedy flick apparently counts Sean as one of its die-hard fans. The real-life supermodel is surprisingly well-versed on “Zoolander” lore, down to the last detail, and he can totally identify with the characters. Well, kind of.

Watch Sean talk about Zoolander:

Here are some tongue-in-cheek, “Zoolander”-inspired bits of trivia about him:

1. Sean doesn’t have a name for his signature look. Not yet, anyway. If anyone has any suggestions, now’s a good time to step up. While Stiller’s Zoolander called his puckered, deer-caught-in-headlights look “Blue Steel” and “Magnum,” Sean has yet to come up with a name for his own smoldering gaze.

“What would I call it?” He paused, thinking hard. “I don’t know. Why don’t you name it, and I’ll call it that from now on? It has to be catchy, though…” (As of press time, we still don’t have a name. Sorry, Sean. Maybethe next time you visit the Philippines, we’ll have one for you.)

2. He drives a Ford Bronco. Remember that vintage truck that Zoolander and his hunky flatmates were riding during the gasoline fight scene? Sean actually owns a similar model. “But I didn’t see the movie beforehand. So I guess all male models love Broncos,” he said with a grin.

3. He’s never gotten into a gasoline fight… “But it looked fun,” he said, looking wistful.

Seeing how that horseplay scene didn’t end so well for Zoolander’s friends, we’re pretty sure Sean’s kidding about that last part.

4. He’s a Starbucks lover. Sort of. “Do they actually exist?” he wondered, referring to Zoolander and Co.’s ego-boosting drinks of choice: orange mocha frappuccinos. “I’ve never had an orange mocha frappuccino, but I have had a vanilla one. So I guess we like frappuccinos.”

5. He believes there’s more to life than being really, really ridiculously good-looking. “I wanna build…a school for kids who can’t read very good,” Sean said, echoing Zoolander’s “ant-sized” dream. “But I was thinking maybe cat-sized … for small animals, household pets.”

6. He’s an “ambi-turner.” As far as he’s concerned, this is Sean’s biggest advantage over his fictional counterpart. “I can turn left. I can,” he insisted, amid barely suppressed giggles. “There’s a lot of difficulty, but I can do it well now.”

His secret: “I’m pigeon-toed. Yeah, that’s the only reason I can turn left. I just walk in circles. You give me a long enough distance and I always come back around,” he deadpanned.

7. He’s not starring in the “Zoolander” sequel. “No, I have not been asked. What’s up with that?” Sean said in mock bewilderment. Seeing as the sequel has just started filming, Sean deserves a cameo role at least, and for obvious reasons.

He may not have gotten the role of Christian Grey when he read for the part three years ago, but Sean’s been taking acting classes since then, not to mention his stints in Madonna’s “Girl Gone Wild” and Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space” music videos. Would somebody give this guy a role already? (Yes, Mr. Stiller, we’re looking at you.)

Win a Penshoppe cap autographed by Sean O’Pry!

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