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.

Jason Garcia poses as The Joker from Batman at the 2015 Comic-Con International in San Diego, California, July 9, 2015. (Photo by Sandy Huffaker/Reuters)

American actress America Ferrera poses for a photo on the red carpet at the 96th Annual Oscars held at Ovation Hollywood on March 10, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mario Anzuoni/Reuters)

Dutch supermodel Doutzen Kroes during the 3rd ABOUT YOU Awards at Bavaria Studios on April 18, 2019 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Gisela Schober/Getty Images for ABOUT YOU)

A person enter in sauna on the peak of Mount Lagazuoi in Cortina D'Ampezzo, Italy January 16, 2018. Picture taken January 16, 2017. (Photo by Stefano Rellandini/Reuters)

An injured man is carried atop an Iraqi special forces armored vehicle during fighting against Islamic State militants in western Mosul, Iraq, Tuesday, March 14, 2017. (Photo by Felipe Dana/AP Photo)

People dressed in period costumes take part in the “Fetes Galantes” fancy dress evening at the “galerie des glaces” in the Chateau de Versailles, France on May 27, 2019. (Photo by Ludovic Marin/AFP Photo)

Members of the staff wait for the start of the maiden press conference for China's all-girl “boyband” FFC-Acrush in Beijing, China April 28, 2017. Picture taken April, 28, 2017. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)