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.

Flamengo soccer fans cheer a goal scored by Gabriel against Argentina's River Plate in the Copa Libertadores final match, broadcast on a giant screen at a watch party at the Macarena Stadium, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, November 23, 2019. The first single-match final will be played in front of more than 65,000 fans at Lima’s Monumental Stadium. The match was originally scheduled for Santiago’s National Stadium, but it was moved because of street protests in Chile. (Photo by Silvia Izquierdo/AP Photo)

A four-week old southern three-banded armadillo (Tolypeutes matacus) is rolled up into a ball next to its mother in the tropical house of Budapest Zoo in Budapest, Hungary on May 3, 2019. The South American insect-eating mammal and its close relative, the Brasilian three-banded armadillo (Tolypeutes tricinctus) are the only two species of armadillos capable of rolling into a complete ball to defend themselves when feeling threatened. (Photo by Attila Kovács/EPA/EFE)

Four men ride a motorbike past sacrificial animals displayed for sale ahead of the Eid al-Adha festival at a livestock market in Sana'a, Yemen, 08 August 2019. Eid al-Adha is the holiest of the two Muslims holidays celebrated each year; it marks the yearly Muslim pilgrimage (Hajj) to visit Mecca, Islam's holiest place. Muslims slaughter a sacrificial animal and split the meat into three parts: one for family, one for friends and relatives, and one for the poor and needy. (Photo by Yahya Arhab/EPA/EFE)

A young Sikh boy shouts religious slogans during a procession ahead of the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak in Jammu, India, Wednesday, November 21, 2018. The birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, founder of Sikhism and first Sikh guru, will be marked on Nov. 23. (Photo by Channi Anand/AP Photo)

Revellers enjoy during New Year celebrations in Manchester, England on January 1, 2019. (Photo by Mercury Press)

In this handout image provided by Red Bull, Maria Paula Quintero of Colombia dives from the 20 metre platform during the first competition day of the seventh stop of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series on September 16, 2022 at Polignano a Mare, Italy. (Photo by Dean Treml/Red Bull via Getty Images)

Ella Bucio of Mexico takes part in a training session before Women's Speed Semi Final at the FIG Parkour World Championships in Tokyo on October 15, 2022. (Photo by Philip Fong/AFP Photo)