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.

Enthusiast Desirae Hepp, dressed as "Immortan Joe," poses for a portrait during Wasteland Weekend event in California City, California September 26, 2015. The four-day event has a post-apocalyptic theme and is inspired by the Mad Max movie franchise. (Photo by Mario Anzuoni/Reuters)

An abortion rights demonstrator covered in fake blood during an “Abortion is Freedom” rally outside the US Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., US, on Monday, July 4, 2022. Last month the Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision and wiped out the constitutional right to abortion, leaving it to individual states to decide whether abortions are allowed. (Photo by Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

A woman takes part in a traditional horse parade through the streets of San Jose, Costa Rica December 26, 2015. Thousands of riders participated in the parade, which is part of annual year-end festivities. (Photo by Juan Carlos Ulate/Reuters)

Participants perform during a Latin dance competition in Tel Aviv, Israel July 18, 2015. Some 66 dancers took part in the contest on Saturday, selecting a winning couple to represent Israel in the finals of The World Latin Dance Cup, which will be held at the end of the year in Miami. (Photo by Amir Cohen/Reuters)

A dump truck carrying cleaning workers drives on Havana's malecon as a wave crashes on the sea wall, in Cuba, Tuesday, January 24, 2017. Due to high winds and tides, the sea pushed over the sea wall, flooding low parts of the Vedado neighborhood of Havana. (Photo by Desmond Boylan/AP Photo)

A reveller wearing a costume dances as she holds a dring during the carnival street parade in Valletta, Malta, February 25, 2017. (Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters)

A man plays to the cameras as racegoers make their way home at the end of Ladies Day the second day of the Aintree Grand National Festival meeting on April 8, 2016 in Aintree, England. Today is Fabulous Friday and Ladies Day of the three-day meeting of the world famous Grand National Festival where fashion and dressing to impress is as important as the racing. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)