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.

The princesses that star in Disney’s classic movies inhabit beautiful fantasy worlds, but it apparently doesn’t take much to turn these into dark, nightmarish realms. Jeffrey Thomas, a cartoon artist and character designer in California, reimagines what our favorite Disney heroines would look like if their worlds were a whole lot darker and creepier.

Towie star Pete Wicks and Chloe Sims seen leaving Pride of Britain Awards held at Grosvenor House on October 29, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Splash News and Pictures)

British model and UK Love Island's star India Reynolds attends the boohooMAN Dinner to celebrate the launch of BoohooMAN collaboration with Tommy Fury at Sushisamba City in London, England on September 2, 2019. (Photo by Splash News and Pictures)

New lovebirds boxer Robin Deakin – once known as “Britain's Worst Boxer” – and former UK “Big Brother” star Lisa Appleton go to the boxing gym in London, United Kingdom on September 28, 2016. The pair were seen holding hands in the street on arrival, and they then slogged it out in the ring and fooled about in Robin's gym. (Photo by FameFlynet UK)

A piñata depicting TV celebrity Kim Kardashian is displayed outside a workshop in Reynosa December 6, 2014. Mexican artisan Dalton Ramirez, known in his neighborhood for creating pinatas which depict local politicians and people in the entertainment industry, jumped on the Kardashian bandwagon after the reality star was featured in a magazine showing her famous curves. The photographs in the magazine were shot by Jean-Paul Goude and recreated his iconic “Carolina Beaumont, New York, 1976”. (Photo by Daniel Becerril/Reuters)

An animatronic polar bear visits the London Underground on January 23, 2015, to mark the launch of Fortitude, Sky Atlantic&Otilde's new drama starring Stanley Tucci, Michael Gambon and Christopher Ecclestone, which premieres on Thursday 29th January at 9pm. A team of 19 Hollywood prop specialists spent six weeks designing and building the realistic replica animal with six to eight people working on the costume at any one time, using over 60 different materials. (Photo by David Parry/PA Wire)

March 28, 1967. Egg Roll; A large bunny attracted the attention of children and their parents during the annual Easter egg roll Monday on the south lawn of the White House. The bunny was made by Fred Johansen, Silver Spring, Md. Nearly 17,000 youngsters and adults took part in the egg rolling. The President and Mrs. John-son were not at the festivities because they were in Camp David, Md. The tradition of egg rolling was begun in 1878 during the administration of Rutherford B. Hayes. (Photo by Minneapolis Star Tribune)