American socialite and actress Karrueche Tran at Revolve Festival: The Eighth Annual Fashion, Music and Lifestyle Event on April 12, 2025 in Thermal, California. (Photo by Chad Salvador/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

American actress Dakota Johnson is seen in Tribeca on June 05, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Aeon/GC Images)

Grace Ann Nader, Brooks Nader, Mary Holland Nader and Sarah Jane Nader celebrate their new show “Love Thy Nader” at the top of the Empire State Building in NYC on August 26, 2025. (Photo by Erik Pendzich/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

English model, television personality and former beauty queen Christine McGuinness attends the Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards 2025 at The Roundhouse on October 08, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Instagram)

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.

Japan's computer giant Fujitsu employee displays the world's first personal computer with Intel's RealSense 3D camera “FMV Esprimo” in Tokyo on October 9, 2014. The new desktop PC with 23-inch LCD display can make avatars which mimic the user's look and motion for chatting on the Internet. (Photo by Yoshikazu Tsuno/AFP Photo)

Members of the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) demonstrate their skills on motor-bikes during the BSF Golden Jubilee Day celebration in New Delhi on December 1, 2015. (Photo by Money Sharma/AFP Photo)

Models present Victoria Secret Fantasy Bras priced at $2 million each during a media preview of the Singapore JewelFest in Singapore October 8, 2015. The festival which is in its 13th year, sees over 42 Asian designers participating and over $300 million worth of jewels for sale. It opens from October 9 to 18. (Photo by Edgar Su/Reuters)