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.

Manhattan's most fashionable felines dressed their best to help Matilda, the famous Algonquin Hotel cat, celebrate her 15th birthday on Aug. 11, 2010. The party was held in the hotel's lobby and centered around a good ol' fashioned cat fashion show. (Photo by Katie Sokoler/Gothamist.com)

Pernille Ferdinandsen receives a neck tattoo from Peter Madsen during the third Copenhagen Ink Festival which opened Thursday May 9, 2013 in Copenhagen, Denmark, the biggest tattoo festival in Northern Europe. During the three days, 180 of the world's best and most celebrated national and international tattoo artists show the audience their skills in making art on the body and tattoo's on the audience. (Photo by Lars Krabbe/AP Photo)

Sweet-toothed jet setters don't even need their passports for this worldwide tour, as they can travel around the world in 40 cakes. Some of the world's most famous landmarks and cultures have been created by some of the best bakers, as featured in this month's edition of Cake Masters magazine. Pictured here is “Japan”. (Photo by Mimi Cafe Union/Mercury Press/Caters News)

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.

American singer-songwriter, producer and former dancer Anastacia and teacher dancer Maykel Fonts perform during the “Dancing with the Stars” TV show in Rome, Italy on March 24, 2018. (Photo by PA Press Association)