when models act

Liya Kebede Stars in New French Kids’ Film

Top model Liya Kebede’s latest movie role is as Queen Paya, the leader of an Amazonian-esque tribe in a fictional country called Palombia (which sounds like the name of a ropy house wine). Kebede is part of the cast of Sur la piste du Marsupilami, a new French children’s film (based on a popular series of Belgian comics) about a reporter’s hunt through Palombian jungles for a mystical, maybe-real, maybe-not animal, the titular “marsupilami.” According to the trailer, Kebede’s Paya is very pretty (naturally), a great dancer, and can do magical things with balls of light. The film premiered in Paris Monday night and debuts in theaters there next week. No word yet on a U.S. release date.