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.

Greetings, sickly monkeys! Planet Nibiru is near already. Confess, parasites! Love you! Yours truly, Avax

A model poses with “The Wellbeing Toilet” the winning entry from a Dyno-Rod Initiative to create a new design for the domestic toilet at Central Saint Martins on November 18, 2013 in London, England. The concept was commissioned to mark 50 years of Dyno-Rod and World Toilet Day on November 19th, 2013 The “Wellbeing Toilet” looks at the health and wellbeing aspect of getting rid of your bodily waste by being sculpted to enhance the position of your body by enabling you to squat rather than sit. (Photo by Miles Willis/Getty Images for Dyno-Rod)

In this photo taken Saturday, June 20, 2015, Mahmoud Abdulnabi tries out an oud, an Arabic instrument related to the lute, at his workshop in Baghdad, Iraq. “The oud is different than other musical instruments”, said Abdulnabi, who has crafted ouds played by some of Iraq's best known musicians, many of whom look down from headshots on the walls. “If you feel joyful, it can play your joy. If the circumstances are sad it can play your sorrow and... help to empty whatever is in your chest”. (Photo by Hadi Mizban/AP Photo)

The Rogz Grinz Ball Dog Toy is a fun creation by South African Porky Hefer Design. The bounce and fetch toy will turn your dog´s mouth into an hilarious ear-to-ear grin, just like Milo dog from the movie “The Mask”. The toy can be stuffed with your dogs favorite treats and floats nicely on the water.

“These are the stunning 360 degree images of Europe's abandoned buildings that will get your head in a spin. Sven Fennema, 33, captured the incredible shots, which include a forgotten villa and casino in northern Italy and abandoned churches in Poland”. – Caters News. (Photo by Sven Fennema/Caters News)

Nothing says Halloween like a jack-o'-lantern, but these professional carvings will blow your neighborhood pumpkin out of the water. (Photo by Frank C. Grace/Courtesy Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular)