Dharma the Sumatran tiger yawns as members of the public return to Edinburgh Zoo as it opens for the first time following the easing of Scottish Governments lockdown restrictions on June 29, 2020 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Outdoor visitor attractions in Scotland have reopened along with many non-essential retailers after more than three months in lockdown, as Scotland moves into phase 2 of its “route map” for easing coronavirus restrictions. (Photo by Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images)

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.

Protesting university students flee as police fire stun grenades outside Parliament in Cape Town, South Africa, Wednesday October 21, 2015. The protests are part of a wave of nationwide protests that have shut down many South Africa universities, which say they are struggling with higher operational costs as well as inadequate state subsidies. (Photo by AP Photo)

Color dyed rabbits are seen in the markets of the Souq Waqif on January 12, 2011 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Mercedes Russell #21 of the Seattle Storm defends Aliyah Boston #7 of the Indiana Fever during the first quarter at Climate Pledge Arena on June 22, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

A man (bottom) suspected of shooting former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe is tackled to the ground by police at Yamato Saidaiji Station in the city of Nara on July 8, 2022. Shinzo Abe was shot at a campaign event on July 8, a government spokesman said, as local media reported the nation's longest-serving premier was showing no vital signs. (Photo by Yomiuri Shimbun/AFP Photo)

An employee dressed in a Santa Claus costume plays with cats at the Catgarden in Seoul, South Korea, December 14, 2020. (Photo by Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters)

“Don't Leave Any Food On Your Plate”. The giraffes at Nairobi's Giraffe Manor are totally at home with humans. They will eat out of your hand, or even off your plate. Photo location: Giraffe Manor, Nairobi, Kenya. (Photo and caption by Gavin Werbeloff/National Geographic Photo Contest)