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.

Italian actress Sophia Loren and US actor Marlon Brando at a cinema in Rome on November 11, 1954, where Brando received the Francesco Pasinetti Prize for his performance in the film “On The Waterfront”. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)

Australian architect and model Bianca Censori did it again this afternoon wearing another sеxy ensemble during a solo shopping trip in Beverly Hills on August 1, 2024. (Photo by Backgrid USA)

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.

Actor Bruce Willis and wife Emma Heming arrive at the premiere of the HBO documentary 'His Way' at Paramount Studios on March 22, 2011 in Hollywood, California.

British sprinter Dina Asher-Smith arrives at The Fashion Awards 2018 In Partnership With Swarovski at Royal Albert Hall on December 10, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Marsland/BFC/Mike Marsland/Getty Images)

Miguel Oliveira of Portugal and Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP crashing during the 2025 MotoGP Michelin Grand Prix of France at Circuit Bugatti on May 11, 2025 in Le Mans, France. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)

South Korea-based graphic designer and illustrator Sunga Park has created these incredible watercolor studies of architectural landscapes.