World War II enthusiasts take part in a re-enactament to mark the 70th anniversary of the Allied landings on Anzio beach, 52 km south of Rome, on January 25, 2014. (Photo by Andreas Solaro/AFP Photo)

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 mahout rides an elephant at Tad Sae Waterfall outside Luang Prabang, Laos July 31, 2016. Protected by the United Nations cultural heritage agency UNESCO, Luang Prabang is one of the most alluring places in the region – a city that evokes old-world romance that has gained a reputation as a travellers' Shangri La. (Photo by Jorge Silva/Reuters)

“Sokolica”. Sokolica, Poland. (Photo and caption by Marcin Kęsek/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest)

ATTENTION! All pictures are presented in high resolution. To see Hi-Res images – just TWICE click on any picture. In other words, click small picture – opens the BIG picture. Click BIG picture – opens VERY BIG picture.

Half-naked girls against speed driving in Nizhny, Novgorod Region, Russia on September 5, 2016. Russian drivers are getting quite an eyeful in a bid to make them slow down thanks to topless women flashing speed limit signs at an accident blackspot. A trial of the road safety campaign demonstrated that it helped lower the speed of traffic near a pedestrian crossing in Severny village. (Photo by YouTube)

A man fires a weapon as he dances during a traditional excursion near the western Saudi city of Taif, August 8, 2015. Saudis usually party in such excursions as they celebrate weddings or graduations. (Photo by Mohamed Al Hwaity/Reuters)

A topless woman walks through Bryant Park following the protest march called the GoTopless Day Parade Sunday, August 23, 2015, in New York. The parade took to the streets to counter critics who are complaining about topless tip-seekers in Times Square. Appearing bare-breasted is legal in New York. But Mayor Bill de Blasio and police Commissioner Bill Bratton say the body-painted women in the square who take photos with tourists are a nuisance. (Photo by Kevin Hagen/AP Photo)

Revellers in fancy dress enjoy the atmosphere during the British Fancy Dress Day on November 12, 2015 in Benidorm, Spain. The British Fancy Dress Day is one of the biggest fancy dress parties in Europe and is held the day after the Benidorm fiestas in November. The tradition started over 20 years ago when Manolo from Sinatras Club offered a free drink to anyone who dress up. Nowadays around 30,000 people, mostly British Expats living in Spain and tourists visiting the Costa Blanca resorts, attends, attend the event. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)