Show hosts Anna Faris (L) and Allison Janney dance on stage during the 2015 People's Choice Awards in Los Angeles, California January 7, 2015. (Photo by Mario Anzuoni/Reuters)

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.

A person performs during the 2022 NYC Pride parade, in New York City, New York , U.S., June 26, 2022. (Photo by Brendan McDermid/Reuters)

Shanea Tonkin of Team Australia celebrates with team mates after scoring their sides first goal during Women - Pool B match between Australia and Scotland on day six of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games at University of Birmingham Hockey & Squash Centre on August 03, 2022 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Stoyan Nenov/Reuters)

Irish television personality, presenter and model Maura Higgins in the first decade of October 2022 treated her followers to a first look of her new campaign with Ann Summers. They believe everyone has the right to wear whatever they want, however they want – your clothes should be about you and nobody else. Want campaign fronted by Maura now, with more styles landing throughout the month. (Photo by Ann Summers)

A technician disinfects official balls before the Group F Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2021 football match between Mauritania and Gambia at Limbe Omnisport Stadium in Limbe on January 12, 2022. (Photo by Issouf Sanogo/AFP Photo)

Los Angeles Kings center Zack MacEwen, left puts Edmonton Oilers center Ryan McLeod int the bards during the second period in Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Friday, April 21, 2023, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Mark J. Terrill/AP Photo)

ISS Expedition 66 main crew member, actress Yulia Peresild blows a kiss through a bus window as she leaves for the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on October 5, 2021. The launch of the Soyuz MS-19 mission to be involved in making the feature film “The Challenge” (working title) aboard the International Space Station is scheduled for 5 October 2021 at 11:55 Moscow time from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. (Photo by Sergei Savostyanov/TASS)