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.

US television personality Bethenny Frankel arrives for FX's “Feud: Capote vs. The Swans” premiere at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, on January 23, 2024. (Photo by Angela Weiss/AFP Photo)

Ahead of Valentine's Day, American singer Jennifer Lopez in the last decade of January 2024 drops not-so-subtle hints as to what's on her wish list. (Photo by JLo /Instagram)

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)

A drone view shows vehicles in the area affected by the floods, in Encantado, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, on May 3, 2024. (Photo by Diego Vara/Reuters)

At the Los Angeles premiere of her film “MaXXXine” on June 24, 2024, British-American actress Lily Collins comes face to face with herself. (Photo by Lily Collins/Instagram)

Revellers take part in the the 70th Annual Columbus Day Parade in New York, October 13, 2014. (Photo by Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)