A mahout removes the prosthetic from Motala, age 50, at the Friends of the Asian Elephant (FAE) elephant hospital in the Mae Yao National Reserve August 29, 2011 Lampang,Thailand. Motala lost a foot many years back after stepping on a land mine and now is on her third prosthetic, as they need to be changed according to the weight of the elephant. (Photo by Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)

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)

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.

National Beard and Moustache Championships 2015 Just for Men National Beard and Moustache Championships Presented by Hanes X-Temp, 2nd annual event honoring the best facial hair in America, with beardsmen from all over the world invited to compete. Categories include the Dali Moustache and the Full Beard Freestyle The World Beard and Moustache Association (WBMA) Championships have been held biennially since 1995 with the next competition due in 2017 in Kings Theatre, New York, NY, USA on November 7, 2015. (Photo by Dennis Van Tine/ABACAPress)

Racegoers in attendance on Ladies Day at Ascot Racecourse on June 21, 2018 in Ascot, England. Ladies Day is the biggest day in the racing calendar and brings with it all the glitz and glamour as those attending don their best outfits. Ascot Racecourse is steeped in Royal history, first founded by Queen Anne in 1711, with the first race in her honour held on August 11, 1711. This year’s Royal Ascot began Tuesday, June 19, with races every day until Saturday, June 23. (Photo by South West News Service)