Iranian bodybuilder Sharareh Nobahari, 30, assists her fitness trainees at a gym in Tehran, Iran on September 20, 2019. (Photo by Nazanin Tabatabaee/Reuters)

A doll, placed by stranded Iranian migrant protesters, hangs from barbed wire in front of Madedonian police at the Greek-Macedonian border near to the Greek village of Idomeni November 29, 2015. The protesters were demonstrating against what they say is the closure of the border for Iranian migrants. According to the demonstrators, the hanging toys and dolls represent the outcome of being unable to return, if they are sent back to Iran. (Photo by Yannis Behrakis/Reuters)

Toni Braxton performs at the Hard Rock Events Center held at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL on January 29, 2019. (Photo by INSTARimages.com)

Indian fashion blogger Diipa Khosla poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film “Everything Went Fine” at the 74th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, July 7, 2021. (Photo by Brynn Anderson/AP Photo)

U.S. President elect Barack Obama kisses his wife Michelle as Vice-President elect Joe Biden (right) embraces his wife Jill after Obama gave his victory speech during an election night gathering in Grant Park on November 4, 2008 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Actress Victoria Justice arrives at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE on August 28, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images)

People take pictures of their reflections in the decorations of a Christmas tree, at a Christmas fair in Bucharest, Romania, Saturday, December 14, 2024. (Photo by Andreea Alexandru/AP Photo)

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.