Miss USA, Olivia Culpo, appears on stage during the Miss Universe Pageant at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, Nevada on December 19, 2012. Olivia Culpo was crowned Miss Universe 2012, beating out beauties from around the world to claim the coveted title. The title of first runner-up title went to the contestant from the Philippines, Janine Tugonon. (Photo by Joe Klamar/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.

Is it strange to party in a cemetery, do you think? Thousands, many elaborately dressed and made up, thronged the Hollywood Forever cemetery on October 30th to celebrate the Day of the Dead with music, dancing, food and artistic renditions of family altars, all among the graves of Rudolph Valentino, Marion Davies, Tyrone Power, Douglas Fairbanks and Johnny Ramone.

These stunning images show the beauty and drama of Mother Nature at work. Captured deep in heart of the Danakil Desert in East Africa, the images show the acid pools near the Erta Ale volcano. Pools of brightly colored acid can be seen amid the dramatic blast of volcanic ash. The photos were taken by Neta Dekel, an Israeli photographer. He the acid pools were one of the most extraordinary sights he had ever seen. (Photo by Neta Dekel/Caters News Agency)

Mount Etna erupts near Sicily, Italy on March 15, 2021. This is the thirteenth time in twenty-eight days. During the early evening of 14 March and the night between 14 and 15 March a strombolian activity at the Southeast Crater gradually increased, leading to a paroxysmal event which had its peak around 01:00 am, ash blown by the wind touched the south-southeast slope of the volcano reaching also Catania, the event ceased completely around 3:45, photo taken from Milo near Catania on March 15, 2021. (Photo by Salvatore Allegra/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Darlene Eddy packages up a chocolate Easter bunny that she made in her store Amazing Chocolates on March 28, 2013 in Hollywood, Florida. As Easter Sunday approaches chocolatiers are busy manufacturing many different types of delights for the holiday when Americans spend roughly $1.9 billion on Easter candy, second only to Halloween in candy consumption. Around ninety million chocolate Easter bunnies are produced each year, from white to dark chocolate, and with an unlimited varieties of styles. (Photo by Joe Raedle)

A life-size robot named “Mark 1”, built by product and graphic designer Ricky Ma, 42, is seen in Hong Kong, China March 31, 2016. Ma, a robot enthusiast, spent a year-and-a half and more than HK$400,000 ($51,000) to create the humanoid robot, which is modelled after a Hollywood star, to fulfil his childhood dream. The eyes of the robot include face and color tracking functions. (Photo by Bobby Yip/Reuters)

Dressed in traditional make-up and costume a woman participates in the celebration for the Day of the Dead or Día de los Muertos at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles on Saturday, October 30, 2021. Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday where families welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives for a brief reunion that includes food, drink and celebration. (Photo by Richard Vogel/AP Photo)