An animal enthusiast touches a Bearded Dragon displayed for sale as exotic pet at Thailand Reptile and Exotic Expo in Bangkok, Thailand, 02 August 2024. The Thailand Reptile and Exotic Expo is a trade showcase exhibiting hundreds of reptiles and exotic animals from breeders to sell as exotic pets for enthusiasts. (Photo by Rungroj Yongrit/EPA)

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.

Models display creations by fashion house Andres Sarda during the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Madrid, Spain, April 8, 2021. (Photo by Sergio Perez/Reuters)

English television presenter Maya Jama posed in her outfit after fronting UK Love Island: Aftersun in the second decade of June 2023. (Photo by Instagram)

Armed police officers and soldiers strengthen their training in seawater in Fangchenggang City, Guangxi Province, China on July 24, 2023. (Photo by Costfoto/NurPhoto/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

Spanish model Georgina Rodriguez in the last decade of September 2023 has shared an inside look at a private jet as she stunned fans in a short white dress. (Photo by @georginagio/Instagram)

American singer-songwriter and businesswoman Beyoncé, 43, looks like she means business as she promotes her whisky brand in the first decade of October 2024. (Photo by Instagram)

American model Kendall Jenner attends the Academy Museum Gala fundraiser at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, California, U.S., October 19, 2024. (Photo by Mario Anzuoni/Reuters)