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.

Personal trainer, Denise Austin, and Katie Austin arrive at the ESPY Awards at the Microsoft Theater on Wednesday, July 13, 2016, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP Photo)

A member of the Air Force's Wings of Blue Parachute Demonstration Team salutes as he jumps out of an aircraft, during the opening ceremony of Aviation Nation 2017 Nellis Air and Space Expo at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., November 10, 2017. (Photo by Senior Airman Kevin Tanenbaum/Reuters/U.S. Air Force)

The sun rises beside St Mary's Lighthouse in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear, as the unseasonably cool weather continues on Thursday, April 28, 2016. (Photo by Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)

A Chicago Police Officer runs toward gunfire as looters break into downtown stores in the early hours of the morning on August 10, 2020. (Photo by RMV/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

An injured demonstrator hugs another as riot police officers prevent them from attending a Pride parade, which was banned by local authorities, in central in Ankara, Turkey on June 29, 2021. (Photo by Cagla Gurdogan/Reuters)

Colombia midfielder Natalia Gaitan (3) goes up for a header against Mexico midfielder Nayeli Rangel (7) in Moncton, June 9, 2015. (Photo by Matt Kryger/USA TODAY Sports)

American rapper Megan Jovon Ruth Pete, known professionally as Megan Thee Stallion promotes a new music video with a topless photo in the first decade of September 2022. (Photo by theestallion/Instagram)