An Iraqi Muslim woman walks past Christmas decorations for sale in the Shiite holy city of Najaf on December 17, 2015. (Photo by Haidar Hamdani/AFP Photo)

This undated image provided by World View shows World View capsule and balloon spacecraft that will rise to 100,000 feet above Earth for passengers to see the curvature of the planet and the blackness of space. Space tourism companies are employing designs including winged vehicles, vertical rockets with capsules and high-altitude balloons. While developers envision ultimately taking people to orbiting habitats, the moon or beyond, the immediate future involves short flights into or near the lowest reaches of space without going into orbit. (Photo by World View via AP Photo)

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.

Carlos Melendez prepares to feed his pet squirrel “Colita” in downtown San Salvador January 29, 2015. (Photo by Jose Cabezas/Reuters)

Jake Paul (left) lands a punch to the face of Anderson Silva during a boxing match at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona on October 29, 2022. (Photo by Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports)

Boxer Tommy Fury is pictured during a weight measurement, a day ahead of a match against Jake Paul (not pictured) in Riyadh, on February 25, 2023. (Photo by Fayez Nureldine/AFP Photo)

Peter Carberry riding Gabbys Cross falls off during the Randox Grand National Chase during day three of the Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse on April 15, 2023 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

General view of a clash after the match of the Egyptian Premier League between Pyramids FC and Zamalek at the 30 June Air Defense Stadium in Cairo, Egypt on April 23, 2019. (Photo by Amr Abdallah Dalsh/Reuters)