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 retrospective of Garry Winogrand's photography is on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It is the first in 25 years of his work. The show was organized by the San Francisco Museum of Art, and the National Gallery in Washington, DC. Photo: New York, 1965. (Photo by Garry Winogrand/The Estate of Garry Winogrand, courtesy Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco)

A workman sweeping the highest sidewalk in the world, the 81st story of the Empire State Building, the world's tallest building, to the top of which the greatest dirigible “Los Angeles” will attempt to moor, New York, New York, early 1930s. This photo was made 1,248 feet above street level. (Photo by Adam Glickman/Underwood Archives/Getty Images)

A loved-up couple have captured the moments they shared a dip-kiss in different locations around the world. Rob, 34, and Joli Switzer, 33, from Maryland, embark on a minimum of four international holidays per year to ensure that they get their unique dip-kiss photograph. Here: Rob Switzer 34 proposed to Joli 33 whilst they were on holiday in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Dipkiss Travels/Caters News Agency)

Michelle Rodriguez attends the 2016 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Graydon Carter at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on February 28, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage)

TV and radio host Lizzie Cundy, 46, attends the World Premiere of “The Hatton Garden Job” at The Curzon Soho on April 11, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Fame Flynet)

Activists attend a parade to demand rights of gender equality to LGBT community members in Santiago, Chile, November 25, 2017. (Photo by Ivan Alvarado/Reuters)

A Poison Ivy and Boba Fet (Star Wars) cosplayer during the MCM Birmingham Comic Con at NEC Arena on March 18, 2017 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Ollie Millington/Getty Images)