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.

A man looks at the wax figure of Marilyn Monroe at Grevin Wax Museum in central Seoul, South Korea, July 30, 2015. French wax museum Musee Grevin has opened its first Asian branch in central Seoul with about 80 wax figures including those from hallyu (the Korean pop culture wave) displayed, according to local media. (Photo by Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters)

Paris Photo is the largest international art fair dedicated to the photographic medium and is held each November at the historic Grand Palais in Paris, France on November 7, 2018. Since 1997, the Fair’s mission is to promote and nurture photographic creation and the galleries, publishers and artists at its source. The 22nd edition of Paris Photo will takes place Thursday, November 8 through Sunday, November 11. (Photo by IBO/SIPA Press/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

Fish-eye lens with a twist: the Norwegian photographer Brutus Ostling uses bait to lure a herring gull for a close-up in September 2022. (Photo by Brutus Ostling/Solent News)

British television, radio presenter and DJ Maya Jama has her hair brushed upon arrival at the Brit Awards 2022 in London Tuesday, February 8, 2022. (Photo by Joel C. Ryan/Invision/AP)

Belgian Photographer Boris Godfroid, a former biology student who recently graduated from film school, started shooting macro photography in 2008. Photo: Bee. (Photo by Boris Godfroid)