PARIS (AFP/REUTERS) - Male model Derek Zoolander and rival Hansel made catwalk appearances for Valentino's show at the Paris Fashion Week on Tuesday, setting off a surprised roar of applause and laughter.

US actors Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson, the stars of the 2001 movie Zoolander that poked fun at the fashion world, raised the roof when they stepped back into their comic roles at the end of Valentino's real-life autumn-winter women's collection.

Wilson as Hansel ("so hot right now") and Stiller's "really, really, ridiculously good-looking" Zoolander delivered the ultimate walk-off wearing custom Valentino accompanied by pouts, in homage to the comedy.

Stiller even recreated the trademark "Blue Steel" surprised duck-face look of his character for the chuckling photographers gathered at the venue in the gardens in front of the Louvre museum.

In Zoolander, Stiller's character is brainwashed into an assassination plot against a world leader, but is saved by Hansel.

The movie became a cult comedy hit, with Zoolander's absurd lines, such as "What is this? A centre for ants?" much-quoted in pop culture.

Fortunately Derek did not have to make any left turns on the catwalk - he complained in the movie "I'm not an ambiturner"

For the record, Stiller was impeccably dressed in a dark marine suit with tie overlaid with a dark wide-collared overcoat embroidered with butterflies, and black shoes.

Wilson turned up in light blue pyjamas, a sky-blue coat draped over his shoulders, and sneakers.

Both men stepped out in confident male-model mode, to pose in front of the cameras, then headed off the catwalk while dropping their overcoats in a perfect parody of supermodels.

Stiller paused to grab a spectator's smartphone and take a selfie on stage.

The unexpected stunt was to promote the Zoolander sequel, which is scheduled to come out in early 2016.