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.

People look at huge waves crashing on the San Esteban de Pravia seafront, northern Spanish region of Asturias February 8, 2016. (Photo by Eloy Alonso/Reuters)

New parents Chrissy Teigen and John Legend are seen leaving Khloe Kardashian's 32nd birthday party held at Dave and Buster's in Hollywood, California on June 28, 2016. (Photo by Splash News)

A U.S. Army B-24 Liberator Bomber is hailed by a ground crewman as it takes off over a line of shark- nosed fighter planes at an advanced base in China on a mission on October 10, 1943, to bomb Japanese installations. (Photo by AP Photo)

Models display creations by fashion house Andres Sarda during the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Madrid, Spain, April 8, 2021. (Photo by Sergio Perez/Reuters)

Spanish model Georgina Rodriguez in the last decade of September 2023 has shared an inside look at a private jet as she stunned fans in a short white dress. (Photo by @georginagio/Instagram)

Kim and Khloe Kardashian turned up the heat on the sandy shores of Turks and Caicos on April 6, 2024. The glamorous sisters were spotted soaking up the sun in their stunning snake skin bikinis while enjoying quality beach time. Though their kids weren't pictured, the Kardashian clan was making the most of their paradise getaway while Kim wore her cowboy hat in the water. Pictured: American media personality Kim Kardashian. (Photo by Backgrid USA)

American model Lori Harvey attends the Tiffany & Co. Celebration of the launch of Blue Book 2024: Tiffany Céleste at The Beverly Estate on April 25, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Tiffany & Co.)