British singer-songwriter Rita Ora visits The Empire State Building on July 09, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Empire State Realty Trust)

Sportsnet's Hazel Mae runs away as George Springer #4 of the Toronto Blue Jays is doused with water by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 following a 7-2 over the Boston Red Sox at Rogers Centre on June 27, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by John E Sokolowski/USA Today via Reuters)

Yaroslava Mahuchikh, of Ukraine, competes in the women's high jump competition at the Wanda Diamond League Final 2025 athletics meeting in Zurich, Switzerland, Wednesday, August 27, 2025. (Photo by Til Buergy/Keystone via AP Photo)

A Muslim boy prepares plates of food for an Iftar (breaking of fast) meal inside a mosque during the holy month of Ramadan in Ahmedabad, India, June 28, 2015. (Photo by Amit Dave/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.

New York Islanders left wing Pierre Engvall and Columbus Blue Jackets Sean Kuraly (7) fight in the third period at UBS Arena on January 20, 2025 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Wendell Cruz/USA TODAY Sports via Reuters)

A fan of Colombia cheers prior to a qualifying soccer match against Venezuela for the FIFA World Cup 2026 at Metropolitano stadium in Barranquilla, Colombia, Thursday, September 7, 2023. (Photo by Fernando Vergara/AP Photo)

Cameron Crazies and fans of the Duke Blue Devils pose for a photo prior to the game against the Miami Hurricanes at Cameron Indoor Stadium on January 14, 2025 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)