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.

Australian actress Elizabeth Debicki pictured as Princess Diana wearing her “Revenge Dress” at Vanity Fair's annual fundraising gala for the Serpentine Gallery while filming hit Netflix TV series “The Crown” in London, United Kingdom on November 1, 2021. The dress, created by Greek fashion designer Christina Stambolian, is one of the most famous dresses the late Princess wore. The form fitting, off-the-shoulder chiffon cocktail dress was worn in June 1994. The same night Diana wore the dress to the Serpentine party, her estranged husband, Prince Charles, confessed on national television that he had been unfaithful to her. (Photo by Splash News and Pictures)

Charlize Theron and Javier Bardem arrive at the 91st Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on February 24, 2019 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mario Anzuoni/Reuters)

Two girls wearing traditional Sevillian dresses talk during the “Feria de Abril” (April Fair) in Sevilla on April 30, 2017. The fair dates back to 1847 when it was originally organized as a livestock fair but has turned into a week of flamenco dancing, music and bullfighting. (Photo by Cristina Quicler/AFP Photo)

While photographer Thomas Herbrich is not a smoker, he said he has always been fascinated by cigarette smoke. These photographs have been featured in arts fairs such as ART Cologne, ART Karlsruhe, Art Fair Hong Kong, as well as several exhibitions. (Photo by Thomas Herbrich)

A camel herder removes the rope from the mouth of a camel at the Pushkar Fair in Rajasthan, India, November 22, 2015. Thousands of animals, mainly camels, are brought to the annual fair to be traded. (Photo by Jitendra Prakash/Reuters)

American Yoga teacher Dashama poses on a Yoga-board during a preview of the 46th International Boat Fair in Duesseldorf January 16, 2015. The BOOT 2015 watersports fair, with more than 1,600 international exhibitors will run in Duesseldorf from January 17 to January 25. (Photo by Ina Fassbender/Reuters)

Gypsies gather at Appleby in Cumbria, United Kingdom on August 12, 2021, for the biggest horse fair of its kind in Europe, which lasts till Sunday. Typically the fair takes place in June, although COVID has pushed it back to August in 2021. In the region of 30,000 people are expected to attend. (Photo by Chris Strickland/Alamy Live News)