Ben Stiller says Zoolander Blue Steel pose is his mirror face

The actor said Derek Zoolander's infamous pose came to him while brushing his hair in the mirror
Blue Steel: Ben Stiller as Derek Zoolander striking the pout
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Ben Stiller has revealed how he came up with Zoolander’s infamous Blue Steel pose — it’s the one he pulls when looking in the mirror.

The actor, 50, reprises the role of model Derek Zoolander in the sequel to the 2001 cult comedy, out this month.

Stiller revealed the origins of the character’s pout in an interview with Esquire magazine. He said: “It came of looking in the mirror when I was brushing my hair or whatever.

My wife [actress Christine Taylor] would say, ‘Why are you making that face? Why are you doing that?’ And it’s just that thing you do that you think makes you look good. Which really has no correlation to reality.”

He's back: Ben Stiller as Derek Zoolander Simon Emmett/courtesy of Esquire
Simon Emmett/courtesy of Esquire

Zoolander 2 stars Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell, Penelope Cruz, Benedict Cumberbatch — and Justin Bieber. Stiller said: “Justin’s such a polarising figure, so there are people who freak out and say, ‘I can’t believe Justin Bieber is in the movie!’

Work it: Stiller's alter ego shows off his model prowess Simon Emmett/courtesy of Esquire
Simon Emmett/courtesy of Esquire

“That makes me happy, and I’m excited for them to see him in the movie in the context he’s in the movie. And for the fans of Justin, it’s great, they get to see him in the movie and they’ll probably have their own reaction when they see it.”

Of the film itself, he said: “Well, hopefully people will laugh. There’s this wonderful thing you get with a comedy. It doesn’t matter what you’re thinking, what ideas you have about what it’s going to be visually, or tonally what it’s like. If they are not laughing, I don’t care how beautifully designed the shot is. They want to laugh, that’s what they care about.”

Cover star: Ben Stiller on the front of Esquire Simon Emmett/courtesy of Esquire
Simon Emmett/courtesy of Esquire

Read the full interview in Esquire’s March 2016 issue, on sale now.

Also available as a digital edition.

Zoolander fronts Valentino Store Window in Rome

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Zoolander is set for UK cinema release on February 12.