Japanese chorus girls appear to be drilling in military tactics atop their theater building as they perform salutes, June 30, 1937. The officer is from the Japanese regular army and says the girls display more rhythm in their drills than do the regular troops. (Photo by AP Photo)

(L-R) Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas of music group Jonas Brothers attend the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards at STAPLES Center on January 26, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

American YouTuber Emma Chamberlain attends the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 10, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vanity Fair)

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.

Actress Brittany Snow takes a selfie with a fan at The 2015 MTV Movie Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on April 12, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Christie Brinkley and Ashley Graham pose after Lifetime's American Beauty Star Season 2 Live Finale at Manhattan Center on March 27, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Lifetime)

Abbey Clancy attends Warner Music Brits after party on February 22, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by FameFlynet)

Minnie Mouse, left, and Katy Perry attend a ceremony honoring Minnie with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Monday, January 22, 2018, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Mario Anzuoni/Reuters)