American-South African actress Madelaine Petsch arrives at CBS Mornings in a grey mini skirt and jacket with white top in New York City in the last decade of September 2025. (Photo by Christopher Peterson/Splash News and Pictures)

A woman throws fallen leaves and jumps while posing for a photo at the Bauman garden in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, October 14, 2025. (Photo by Pavel Bednyakov/AP Photo)

American model, golf instructor, former professional golfer and social media personality Paige Spiranac drove fans wild by dressing up as Jessica Rabbit for Halloween on October 30, 2025. (Photoby X @PaigeSpiranac)

American model Hailey Bieber attends the 2025 GQ Men Of The Year at Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles, California, U.S., November 13, 2025. (Photo by Aude Guerrucci/Reuters)

White Bengal tiger named Romina is pictured inside its new enclosure at La Aurora Zoo in Guatemala City on October 24, 2024. (Photo by Johan Ordonez/AFP Photo)

This bat gives a cheeky smile as he gobbles down his food at Singapore Zoo, on September 10, 2013. (Photo by Benny Iskander/HotSpot Media)

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.