Character Acting

There's no denying the fact that most of us have pretended to be actors. Photographer Howard Schatz took this idea one step further, place actors in a series of roles and dramatic situations to reveal the essence of their characters.

Left: You're the office toady, having a dutiful laugh over your boss's latest racist joke—and all too aware that everyone else at work hates you. Center: You're a Miss Universe finalist in the nanosecond between being named fifth runner-up and remembering to flash your best I'm-so-happy smile. Right: You're the school doofus, blissfully unaware that your having just been named prom king is a cruel, Carrie-style stunt by your classmates. 

Left: You're a child swallowing a spoonful of medicine that your mom promised would taste good, and now she's telling you that if it didn't taste awful it wouldn't work. Center: You're at a social dinner with your work colleagues and their spouses, desperately trying to signal your partner to stop talking so freely about your shared sex life. Right: You're a bunny-level skier who has decided to try a black-diamond slope, and now, with no idea how to stop, you're headed straight for a tree. 

Left: You are a dedicated father who, with your wife, has just sat down to dinner with your 15-year-old daughter, who is defiantly announcing that she's pregnant. Center: You are a fashion designer on the morning of your big runway show, realizing that nothing in the collection is ready or fabulous. Right: You are a blustering, pompous member of the British Parliament, giving a speech that is being broadcast on the BBC, and you're thrilled at the sound of your own voice.  


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