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.

“Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (29 July 1883 – 28 April 1945) was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism”. – Wikipedia

Photo: Italian fascist dictator Benito Mussolini leads his officers in a spirited run in full military regalia. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images). Circa 1940

Brooke Candy attends the VFILES show during New York Fashion Week at Barclays Center of Brooklyn on September 6, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images)

US model Binx Walton strutted out with a boob exposed and only a glittery love heart ­protecting her modesty in Anthony Vaccarello’s debut show for Saint ­Laurent on September 27, 2016. The Sun found out how the trend measured up on trip to the shops. Here: Isabella Besque 21 from London tries out the nipple cover look as seen Paris Fashion week on the streets of London, England on October 7, 2016. (Photo by Stewart Williams/The Sun)

Contorsionist Rich Miteku performs during the opening of the 41st Monte-Carlo International Circus Festival in Monaco on January 19, 2017. (Photo by Valery Hache/AFP Photo)

Two life-size Victorian style dolls shocked Londoners morning December 3, 2015 as the creepy pair popped up at commuter hotspots across the capital to mark the launch of the world's first psychological theme park ride created by Derren Brown, coming to Thorpe Park Resort in 2016. (Photo by Matt Alexander/PA Wire)

This photo taken on August 7, 2016 shows mahjong enthusiasts playing mahjong under water in a swimming pool at a diving club in the Chinese city of Chongqing. Only participants with proper diving certification were allowed to take part in the underwater competition. (Photo by AFP Photo/Stringer)

A plastinated body presented as a pole vaulter is exhibited at the Menschen Museum, Museum of Humans, in Berlin, August 29, 2016. The museum was caught up in a legal dispute with the district office of Berlin-Mitte for years before it was able to meet the requirements made by the court. (Photo by Sophia Kembowski/DPA Photo via Newscom)