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.

American actress Sarah Hyland at arrivals for 26th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards – Part 2, Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA January 19, 2020. (Photo by Monica Almeida/Reuters)

Actor Kurt Tocci leaps for photographers at the premiere of the AMC series “The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live”, Wednesday, February 7, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/AP Photo)

Actors Rooney Mara, left, and Joaquin Phoenix arrive at the premiere of “Joker: Folie a Deux” on Monday, September 30, 2024, at TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP Photo)

French actress Sophie Marceau and Irish actor Pierce Brosnan in film “The World is Not Enough” by Michael Apted, 1999. (Photo by Keith Hamshere/Sygma via Getty Images)

Japanese Macaque monkeys soak in the warmth of mountain hotsprings at Jigokudani Monkey Park, in Yamanouchi, central Japan, 19 January 2014. The Japanese Macaques (Macaca fuscata), also referred to as Snow Monkeys, live freely in this area that is covered by snow one third of the year. Jigokudani is the only known place in the world where monkeys bathe in natural hot springs. As a habit, they come down from the mountains where they spend the night and bath during the day. (Photo by Kimimasa Mayama/EPA)

A Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force Type 92 Mine sweeping vehicle fires a rocket behind a Type 74 armoured tank during an annual training session, which is based on a scenario to defend or retake islands in Japanese territory, near Mount Fuji at Higashifuji training field in Gotemba, west of Tokyo, August 18, 2015. (Photo by Yuya Shino/Reuters)

Competitors Hope Garcia (L) and Francesca Esker during the newly reintroduced Muscle Beach Vintage Swimsuit competition at Venice Beach, California on May 30, 2016. Venice is one of two historic bodybuilding locations and took over as the most famous spot when the nearby Santa Monica Muscle beach was shutdown due to overcrowding. California Governor and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger used to be a regular amongst the many famous bodybuilders and actors who have trained there and still makes an occasional appearance. (Photo by Mark Ralston/AFP Photo)