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.

Jennifer Oeser of Germany competes in the Women's Heptathlon Long Jump on Day 8 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on August 13, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte looks at Miss Universe candidates at the presidential palace in Manila, Philippines January 23, 2017. (Photo by Erik De Castro/Reuters)

General Atmosphere at 2014 New York Comic Con – Day 3 at Jacob Javitz Center on October 11, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Laura Cavanaugh/Getty Images)

Miss France Iris Mittenaere (R) and Miss Haiti Raquel Pelissier hold hands before Mittenaere is announced winner of the 65th Miss Universe beauty pageant at the Mall of Asia Arena, in Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines January 30, 2017. (Photo by Erik De Castro/Reuters)

In this photo taken Saturday, February 14, 2015, Benjamin Miller, 20, from Georgia, in the US, is gored by a bull during the “Carnaval del Toro” in Ciudad Rodrigo, Spain. An American youth is recovering in the intensive-care unit of a hospital in western Salamanca after being savagely gored during a bullfighting festival celebrating Carnival, officials said Sunday. Surgeon Enrique Crespo said he was called to operate on 20-year-old Benjamin Miller from Georgia, who had been gored and tossed by a large fighting bull on Saturday, the first day of nearby Ciudad Rodrigo's “Carnaval del Toro”. (Photo by Jose Vicente/AP Photo)

Recording artist Yeini arrives at the 17th Annual Latin Grammy Awards in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., November 17, 2016. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Reuters)

Indian men stand around sword fish for sale at a harbour a harbour in Chennai on June 5, 2016, as fishermen return with their catch after a 45-day fishing ban on the east coast of India. Authorities in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu had imposed a 45-day ban on fishing by mechanised vessels to protect marine life, with only “country boats” operating within five nautical miles off the coast. (Photo by Arun Sankar/AFP Photo)