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.

Sister Kate and Sister Claire pose on the beach to promote the documentary film “Breaking Habits?” at the Cannes Film Festival on May 09, 2018 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Regis Duvignau/Reuters)

A fireman looks on as a Canadair aircraft drops water to extinguish a wildfire in Sicily's Trapani, Italy on August 27, 2023. (Photo by Antonio Cascio/Reuters)

Eleonora Brunacci and Mariano Di Vaio walk the red carpet ahead of the “Racer And The Jailbird (Le Fidele)” screening during the 74th Venice Film Festival at Sala Grande on September 8, 2017 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

People take part in the annual LGBTQ Pride parade in Bangkok, Thailand on June 4, 2023. (Photo by Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters)

Actress Lily Collins is seen filming on set of series 2 of “Emily In Paris” on May 4, 2021 in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, France. (Photo by Arnold Jerocki/GC Images)

American film and theater actress, singer and dancer Shirley MacLaine. (Photo by Philippe Halsman)

Rohingya refugees stand outside of their refugee camp on February 11, 2017 in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia. Thousands of Rohingya Muslims have been stuck in limbo at Indonesia's refugee camps as the plight of Myanmar's ethnic minority continues. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images)