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)

Artist Joe Hill poses on his 3D artwork, from the “Joe and Max” project as part of an advertising campaign, during its presentation at a park in Moscow, Russia, July 4, 2015. (Photo by Sergei Karpukhin/Reuters)

A Mexican wearing a period costume re-enacts the battle of Puebla, in the Penon de los Banos neighbourhood of Mexico City, Mexico May 5, 2016. The battle marked the defeat of French forces by Mexican troops and local Indians in the central state of Puebla in 1862. During the re-enactment, participants fired homemade shotguns loaded with gunpowder and hundreds of men dressed as Indian peasants fought mock battles against others dressed as French invaders. (Photo by Henry Romero/Reuters)

A musician plays his violin next to a depiction of La Santa Muerte (Saint Death) at a shrine during Day of the Dead celebrations in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, November 2, 2015. (Photo by Jose Luis Gonzalez/Reuters)

Poland's Dawid Kubacki soars through the air during the men's FIS Ski Jumping World Cup competition in Engelberg, central Switzerland, on December 20, 2014. (Photo by Fabrice Coffrini/AFP Photo)

Border guard officers, wearing masks against COVID-19 infection adjust their outfits before a distinguished service awards ceremony for employees of the interior ministry in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, July 16, 2020. Romania has registered on Thursday the highest number of COVID-19 infection cases since the pandemic reached the country in February, 777 in a 24 hours interval, as many fail to observe the mandatory protection measures, like the use of a face mask indoors or maintaining social distancing. (Photo by Andreea Alexandru/AP Photo)

Yakelin Hernandez, 18, poses for a photograph near The Malecon where The Carnival was held, on August 14, 2015. Colorful costumes, dancing, parades and street parties on the Malecon in Havana, Cuba are all part of Havana Carnival 2015 which was held in August. (Photo by Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post)