THEN & NOW: The cast of the original 'Zoolander' 15 years later

After 15 years, Derek Zoolander is back. 

"Zoolander No. 2," the sequel to the 2001 cult-hit comedy, is in theaters Friday and features some of the original cast reprising their roles.

When the "world's most beautiful people" are being assassinated, the only people to call are ex-models Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller) and Hansel McDonald (Owen Wilson). 

Stiller created the dimwitted character of Zoolander for a short film that aired during the 1996 VH1 Fashion Awards. Another short film was made for the Fashion Awards the following year and later developed into the feature-length film.  

"Zoolander" featured cameos from celebrities including Posh and Baby Spice, Donald and Miliana Trump, Billy Zane, Mark Ronson, and David Bowie. And while some players are back for the sequel, a number of other celebrities — including Justin Bieber, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kristen Wiig, and Penelope Cruz — are making cameo appearances in the second film.  

Here's a look at the original cast 15 years later:  

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THEN: Ben Stiller was already a comedy star before he turned his "Zoolander" short films into a feature film. He plays Derek Zoolander, a model who finds himself in the middle of an assassination conspiracy. Though it was Stiller's third time directing a feature, it was his first full-length screenplay, which he cowrote with Drake Sather and John Hamburg.

NOW: Stiller has since appeared in a number of comedies and has continued to direct and produce films. He's reprising his role in the sequel and also serves as a cowriter and director.

THEN: Owen Wilson made his film debut in Wes Anderson's "Bottle Rocket" (1996) and landed roles in films such as "Armageddon" and "Shanghai Noon" before playing a rival model, Hansel, in "Zoolander."