Red-Blooded American Male: See 15 Stunning Celebrity Portraits From Robert Trachtenberg's New Book

The photographer walks EW through some of his most memorable star photographs
By Robert Trachtenberg
Updated September 08, 2016 at 04:56 PM EDT

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Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum

Robert Trachtenberg

I’ve been on too many shoots where actors have said, “I can’t touch another guy!" But these guys are cool and will have long, wonderful, varied careers because they’re really, truly, actors who do what’s right for the role

 

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Debra Messing and Eric McCormack

Robert Trachtenberg

There’s a longer story attached to this photo that’s in the book, but as a tease, I should say this is the first time this image has ever been published.

 

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Jon Stewart

Robert Trachtenberg

He makes my job both easier and harder. Harder because I have to go through the pretense of coming up with concepts, knowing full well that he’s going to make things easier by knocking it out of the park with his own terrific, twisted ideas. At the height of post-9/11 hysteria, Stewart was thirsty for what he called a "Terror Alert Milkshake."

 

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Paul Rudd

Robert Trachtenberg

My favorite memory of this was Paul’s publicist turning her back on the set and saying, “I’m letting this happen, but I can’t watch - he’s like a brother to me!”

 

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Denis Leary

Robert Trachtenberg

Oddly, the twist on this photo is that these are not prop Chihuahuas, Leary lives on a tiny dog farm. Joking, but the pups are all his.

 

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Judd Apatow

Robert Trachtenberg

He gets it. He knows you can’t just show up in a suit and have your picture taken like you’re the bank manager who won Employee of the Month. This is show business, dammit.

 

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Elliot Tebele aka F--kJerry and James Ohliger aka Krispy Shorts

Robert Trachtenberg

I had no idea what to expect. I just knew their Instagram accounts are hilarious. I wanted to represent some of social medias biggest stars, because they are literally attracting more viewers than most prime time TV shows. Scary.

 

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Justin Bieber

Robert Trachtenberg

This was my second time shooting him, and I’m taking the photos and thinking, “He’s either going to discover the gym, a tattoo parlor or both any day now.” Because I am psychic.

 

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Kevin Spacey and Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Robert Trachtenberg

Each actor was shot in a different city and we put this fight together in post production. You really do get the best stuff when vanity isn’t an issue.

 

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Neil Patrick Harris

Robert Trachtenberg

Game for anything, and a really terrific collaborator. He gets irony, which I don’t believe can be taught.

 

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Kellan Lutz

Robert Trachtenberg

This was for a "Sexiest Man" situation for PEOPLE shot on location in the middle of nowhere in a real swamp. How he didn’t lose all his hair and get a rash that lasted six years is a mystery.

 

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Robin Williams

Robert Trachtenberg

The sweetest guy. The most hyper guy. I didn’t need to say a word, just turn on the light, put some batteries in the camera, and let him go.

 

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Scott Eastwood

Robert Trachtenberg

A sickeningly lethal combination of charisma, looks, talent and self-deprecating humor.

 

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Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David

Robert Trachtenberg

I wanted to recreate the Seinfeld living room set and light it on fire with the cast inside. Larry asked if he could decide day of shoot. Fire Department needed more notice, so we went with the basic white backdrop and a spit take.

 

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Uggie

Robert Trachtenberg

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences wasn’t too happy about this. They didn’t want it to appear that any favoritism was being shown towards The Artist (the film Uggie was in). They didn’t want canine teeth marks and spit on their statue. But the film did end up winning best picture of the year, and the spit came right off. I sometimes wonder if this particular Oscar ended up on Meryl Streep’s shelf next to all her others.

 

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Robert Trachtenberg's Red-Blooded American Male

Want more? Pick up Trachtenberg's gorgeous new book, Red-Blooded American Male: Photographs, available online and in-stores on Tuesday, September 13.

 

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