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.

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.

Actor Howard Coggins performs during the Living Spits Beauty and the Beast comedy at the Bristol Old Vic on December 9, 2020 in Bristol, England. Living Spit stars Howard Coggins and Stu McLoughlin will perform Beauty and the Beast in a series of live broadcasts and on stage shows at the Old Vic from December 18. (Photo by Matthew Horwood/Getty Images)

Art photography gallery Lumas has opened its doors to “Masterpieces of Fashion Photography” exhibition at its London flagship space, showcasing previously unreleased images by legends such as Horst P. Horst, Edward Steichen, Bert Stern and Arthur Elgort. Here: Darryl Hannah on elephant, 1992. (Photo by Michel Comte/Vogue Archive Collection)