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.

Enigmatic Italian forward Mario Balotelli is always good for drama, so Fanny Neguesha is perfect for him. With her racy Instagram shots and wild ways, she might be the one to tame Super Mario’s heart. The couple was engaged to marry this week. (Photo by Splash News/Getty Images/Instagram.com)

A Geisha girl pouring a drink for a visitor, circa 1955. (Photo by Fox Photos). P.S. All pictures are presented in high resolution.

Young man making the O.K. sign. (Photo by George Marks/Retrofile/Getty Images). Circa 1950s

A Bedouin rifleman hides behind his camel while he carefully takes aim in the Sahara desert. (Photo by Three Lions/Getty Images). Circa 1955

Dolly the Chihuahua dog dressed as Alice in Wonderland is photographed during an Alice in Wonderland and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory themed Furbabies Dog Pageant at Jodhpurs Riding School in Tockwith, North Yorkshire, Sunday September 6, 2020. (Photo by Danny Lawson/PA Wire via AP Photo)

A craftman poses with a bamboo miniature sculpture in Hanoi on November 25, 2020. (Photo by Nhac Nguyen/AFP Photo)

People fly kites during the 2017 Pyostroye Nebo kite festival in Tsaritsyno Park in Moscow, Russia on August 27, 2017. (Photo by Asya Dobrovolskaya/TASS)