Alex Neal-Bullen during an Adelaide Crows match against Port Adelaide Power at Adelaide Oval in Adelaide, Australia on July 26, 2025. (Photo by Matt Turner/AAP)

A security guard tackles a fan who ran on the field during the ninth inning of a game between the San Francisco Giants and the San Diego Padres at Petco Park in San Diego, California on August 19, 2025. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Reuters)

England’s Natasha Hunt pours champagne into the mouth of Zoe Aldcroft as she holds the trophy after England beat Canada 33-13 in the Women’s Rugby World Cup final at Twickenham in London on September 27, 2025. England became world champions on Saturday in front of 81,885 spectators at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium, while overall 444,465 tickets were sold during the tournament. (Photo by Garry Bowden/ProSport/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

Photographer Howard Schatz had an idea: place actors in a series of roles and dramatic situations to reveal the essence of their characters. Such was the premise behind his book, In Character: Actors Acting, which captures some of Hollywood’s most emotive stars in the act of, well, making faces. Luckily for us, he continued the tradition for Vanity Fair. Here are some of the best.

The finishing touches are made to a giant sculpture on the Hayward Gallery entitled “Urban Fox” and made from straw bales on April 18, 2011 in London, England. The sculpture features in the Southbank Centre's 60th anniversary celebration of the 1951 Festival of Britain. The celebration will feature various cultural and creative events and runs from April 22 until September 4, 2011 at London's Southbank Centre. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images)

In this Saturday, September 5, 2015, photo, three women in costumes look at sea life swimming above them during a private party held at the Georgia Aquarium as part of Dragon Con in Atlanta. The convention draws fans from around the country to take part in sci-fi and fantasy costume contests, a massive parade through downtown Atlanta and educational seminars about science and costume making. (Photo by Ron Harris/AP Photo)

Actress Maddie Ziegler holds her bag as she poses during People's “Ones To Watch” event celebrating Hollywood's rising and brightest stars in West Hollywood, California September 16, 2015. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Reuters)

Completion is near on Monaco's tallest skyscraper ever, and its first new one since the 1980s. Fueled by a luxury-housing boom in the tax-haven nation, the Odeon Tower's so-called Sky Penthouse is expected to sell for more than any other apartment in the world has ever sold before. Photo: The five-story Sky Penthouse is expected to be complete in September 2015. The water slide extends from a dance floor in the residence down to a private infinity pool. (Photo by Tour Odeon)