Cosplayer Monzerath Gutierrez, who portrays Dragon Ball Z character Trunks, female version, poses for a portrait during the 4th edition of the MiniCon Anime convention, at the School of Dance, in Managua, Nicaragua, Sunday, July, 26, 2015. (Photo by Esteban Felix/AP 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.

Jockey student Mariangelys Almedina (Front) balances on a steel drum suspended in the air by a series of springs to simulate riding a horse as Instructor Willie Lozano looks on at the Vocational Equestrian Agustín Mercado Reverón School located in the Hipódromo Camarero on November 17, 2022 in Canovanas, Puerto Rico. The Vocational Equestrian Agustín Mercado Reverón School has produced some of the best jockeys in the world but also prepares students for a wide range of equestrian jobs on a tuition-free basis. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

To draw the public's attention to a new line of bathing suits, a Tokyo department store used live models to show off the suits on June 5, 1950. The rain didn't bother the curious, and both the girls and the crowd seemed to like the idea of staring at each other through the glass. (Photo by AP Photo via The Atlantic)

People walk by a car destroyed by a tree which fell during a storm and strong winds, in Limoges, on May 21, 2014. High winds upto 120 km/h and storms have caused at least one death and cut off some 42 000 homes from electricity today in the Midi-Pyrenees region of France. (Photo by Pascal Lachenaud/AFP Photo)

Locals watch from the beach as waves hit an Indonesian tanker that ran aground near Narathiwat in southern Thailand December 19, 2014. The tanker loaded with palm oil, previously hijacked by its crew members and then seized by Thai authorities, was anchored some 400 meters from the beach but strong wind and waves broke it free, according to local media. (Photo by Surapan Boonthanom/Reuters)

Bikers push their motorbikes during a traffic block as they take part in the “Enduropale” motorcycle endurance race on the beach of Le Touquet, northern France, February 1, 2015. About 1100 motorbike and 600 quad bike riders descend on Le Touquet every year for the racing endurance event. (Photo by Pascal Rossignol/Reuters)

Just a week before Rio de Janeiro hosts South America's first Olympics, city residents expressed mixed feelings about the cost and security of the Games, while holding out hope they will bring joy to a nation facing economic and political crises. The conflicted thoughts mirror a recent survey by the Datafolha polling group showing that half of Brazilians were opposed to holding the Games, while 63 percent think the costs of hosting the event will outweigh benefits. (Photo by Pilar Olivares/Reuters)