Actress Demi Moore attends Irving “Swifty” Lazar's Oscar Party hosted at Spago on March 29, 1989 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jim Smeal/WireImage)

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.

Canadian fashion model Winnie Harlow and American rapper Doja Cat attend Darren Dzienciol & Richie Akiva's Oscar Party 2021 on April 25, 2021 in Bel Air, California. (Photo by Rochelle Brodin/Getty Images for Darren Dzienciol)

American actress America Ferrera poses for a photo on the red carpet at the 96th Annual Oscars held at Ovation Hollywood on March 10, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mario Anzuoni/Reuters)

Australian actor Chris Hemsworth (L) and Spanish model Elsa Pataky (R) attend the Governors Ball during the 96th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

Charlize Theron and Javier Bardem arrive at the 91st Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on February 24, 2019 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mario Anzuoni/Reuters)

A guest’s hands at the Essence Black Women in Hollywood awards luncheon at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons hotel in Beverly Hills, California on March 24, 2022. (Photo by Image Press Agency/NurPhoto/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

American media personality, socialite and model Kylie Kristen Jenner and American model Kendall Nicole Jenner are launching a new joint makeup line in the last decade of March 2022. (Photo by Kyliejenner/Instagram)