Romanian singing duo Gabriella and Monica Irimia, The Cheeky Girls prforms in Falkirk, Scotland on May 4, 2003. (Photo by Michael Schofield/News Group Newspapers Ltd)

Performers walk past a light installation “Butterfly Effect” designed by Japan artist Masamichi Shimada, at the Battersea Power Station in London, Thursday, January 25, 2024. The Light Festival involved seven light installations from British and international artists at Battersea Power Station, which illuminated the winter evenings between Jan. 25 and Feb, 25. (Photo by Kin Cheung/AP Photo)

Aoife Brack (Gorey, Wexford) with Sean Brack on her shoulders having great fun with the Bubble performers at the Kaleidoscope festival in Russborough House, Co. Wicklow, Ireland on July 2, 2023. (Photo by Nick Bradshaw for The Irish Times)

(L-R) Singers Kelly Rowland, Beyonce and Michelle Williams perform during the Pepsi Super Bowl XLVII Halftime Show at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Colombia fans celebrate a goal during the World Cup Group C soccer match between Colombia and Greece, at a park in Bogota June 14, 2014. (Photo by John Vizcaino/Reuters)

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.

People look at huge waves crashing on the San Esteban de Pravia seafront, northern Spanish region of Asturias February 8, 2016. (Photo by Eloy Alonso/Reuters)

New parents Chrissy Teigen and John Legend are seen leaving Khloe Kardashian's 32nd birthday party held at Dave and Buster's in Hollywood, California on June 28, 2016. (Photo by Splash News)