Jackie Chan - Father time catching up with the master of martial arts.

Out at the Cannes film festival this week promoting his latest film “Chinese Zodiac”, Jackie Chan the king of martial arts has announced his retirement from action films. He says that at 58 he is starting to feel very tired, his body aches and he senses that now is the time to bow out from martial arts movies. After 40 years in the film business and 100 action roles from stuntman to star actor, nobody could argue that he finally deserves a rest. Not that he will stop filming though. Jackie sees himself as the Chinese “Robert De Niro” and will be looking to star in more sedate and less physical roles.

Sacha Baron Cohen – A law unto himself

Like most comedians, Sacha Baron Cohen polarizes opinions. Some love his irreverent comic style laced with more than a drop of irony and others just don’t get it. On the Oscar red carpet last night in a very pre-rehearsed publicity stunt, Cohen dressed at “The Dictator” a character from his upcoming film and tipped the ashes of “Kim Jong Il” all over E! Entertainment’s TV host Ryan Seacrest. The funniest thing about the whole incident were the burly security men dragging Baron Cohen away. The incident however had had it’s desired effect.

Jennifer Aniston – Happier now than for many years.

In looking for people to write about on this blog, I do read a lot of celebrity articles and quotes simply because I like to mix things up a bit. A bit of politics here, some breaking stories and some interesting character profiles. One quote from Jennifer Aniston after the completion of her new film “Wanderlust” caught my attention. She said going into the Georgia countryside far away from city life to shoot the film had enriched her and had given her some peace and happiness. I immediately put up her chart on my pc and I could see why. Today I look at one of Hollywood’s “A” list celebrities and explore new priorities for the former “Friends” actress.

Judi Dench – Working on bravely as she fears the loss of her sight.

Dame Judi Dench is one of the foremost actresses of her generation. Today in the news there were reports that she is suffering from age-related macular degeneration or AMD, a condition that eventually could lead to blindness. Apparently she is struggling to read scripts and even to recognise faces, but she plans to soldier on acting despite the difficulties of her illness. The actress known for winning an academy award for her role in Shakespeare in Love in 1998 as well as starring as “M” in the James Bond films, is due to continuing to shoot the latest one in the series “Skyfall”.

Hugh Laurie – All good things must come to an end.

As you will gather from the title on this article, “House” the oh so successful TV series is finally winding to a close this year, and Dr Gregory House will be hanging up his white coat and will only be seen on our TV screens in the future in repeat showings. Hugh Laurie during his stint in the show was nominated for several awards, and the series end will create a hole in the TV schedules that will be tough to fill.

Demi Moore – Having problems dealing with separation

It is sad seeing any relationship breaking down and some people deal with the heartbreak better than others. Demi Moore is visibly having a tough time after her marriage to Ashton Kutcher who is 16 years her junior started to fail. She has noticeably lost weight recently and the worry and stress of the whole situation can be seen over her face. Looking at the her astrology chart, it is very noticeable why she is taking things so badly.

Gary Oldman – On his way to receiving the recognition he deserves.

Quiet, unassuming & superbly talented, Gary Oldman stars in the critically acclaimed “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy” which hits the UK cinemas back in September last year. Although he has always been lauded as one of the best actors of his generation, until today Gary had never been nominated for an Oscar. I am so pleased that this anomaly in his career has now changed.

George Clooney – Suave, sophisticated and independent.

It’s film awards time of the years again and in the mix to pick up awards as best actor and director this year at the BAFTA awards in London and at the Oscars in Los Angeles is George Clooney. His films “The Descendants” where he takes the lead role and “The Ides of March” where he not only directs but also stars have garnered him critical acclaim this year and he should picks up a fair amount of nominations for them.

Johnny Depp & Vanessa Paradis – A relationship under strain from Saturn, Uranus and Pluto.

No matter how stable a relationship may be, when Pluto and Uranus come calling, it can bring huge instability and pressure upon a couple. Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis have been together as partners for 14 years and have 2 children. Press reports say that the atmosphere between the two has been strained, and the astrology backs these reports up.

Lindsay Lohan – New York’s wild child facing up to the truth in 2012.

The next year will decide if Lindsay Lohan really does decide to turn her life around. 2011 was a year of scandal, court appearances, alleged theft charges, and the normal drink, drugs and front page newspaper headlines.  Lindsay’s life seemed to be falling apart, but hope does exist, if she wants to get serious and grow up. 2012 is going to be a year of reckoning for her.

Margaret Thatcher – The astrological link between the Iron Lady and Meryl Streep

Baroness Margaret Hilda Thatcher was a huge worldwide influential figure who whether you loved her or hated her, you just could not ignore. Her image, her style and even her voice has been magnificently replicated by actress Meryl Streep for the new film for 2012 “The Iron Lady”. I was looking away from the TV the other day when a trailer was shown, and the voice Meryl recreated sent shivers down my spine. Looking at the astrology, there is an obvious link between the two women; this was a role that Meryl was born to do.

Robert Pattinson – Uncomfortable in being the star that he is. The astrology of the young British actor.

Robert Pattinson, the young English actor is one of the hottest properties in Hollywood and is probably best known for his role as Edward Cullen in the Twilight series of films starring alongside Kristen Stewart. Looking at his horoscope, I think it reveals a young man with much talent but also someone who will find it difficult with all the attention he has suddenly attracted.

Jessica Simpson – Multi talented Texan pop-star announces she is pregnant.

A nice story for once to report on. One of America’s favourite female stars, Jessica Simpson has announced that she is expecting a child, just over year after announcing her engagement to former American football player, Eric Johnson. Jessica it seems has much to look forward to in 2012, and today I look at the all American girl made good from the southern state of Texas.

Kate Winslett – Success at the Emmy awards, but changes await her in the coming years.

Kate Winslett is back in the news and on the award trail after scooping the best actress award at the Emmy’s for her role in Mildred Pierce, and a month earlier she was lucky to escape when fire burnt down Richard Branson’s holiday home on Necker Island in the Caribbean. Kate, who had been staying there as a guest, saved Branson’s 90 year old mother by carrying her to safety. Quite a month then for the British actress who is rarely if ever out of the headlines.

Kate was born on 5th October 1975 in Reading, England at 07.15 hrs. She was a new Moon baby, born exactly at sunrise hence the Libran Sun is exactly conjoined to the Ascendant. The Moon lies just 2 degrees into the first house and both personal planets are joined in conjunction by Pluto and Mercury making a powerful stellium. As a triple Libran, Kate will be very very conscious of fairness and justice which will need to be served. Librans hate conflict and she will go to the ends of the earth to make sure that any disagreements are settled amicably. Those with Libra emphasised are very socially aware and very romantic as Venus is heavily emphasised, so beauty & harmony be it musical, written, artistic or drama based will be very close to her heart.

There is a dark, underground edge to this new Moon conjunction as Mercury and Pluto sit close by. Mercury in the 1st house conjunct to the ascendant always infers high intelligence, and Kate will always want to chat and communicate. The connection with Pluto brings all this to a different level completely. Pluto wants to get under the surface of everything and her mind will be very deep and inquisitive, rather like a detective, probing to find out the hidden agendas of everything in which she is interested. Because Mercury is retrograde, this mind will be turned in on itself; here is someone who in their quieter moments can be very reflective and psycho-analytic, especially about relationships as this Pluto is in Libra. Kate, you see, is a very passionate yet controlling person. The Moon conjunct Pluto is highly emotional, even erotic, determined to do her own thing and yet very sensitive, with the Moon being found in the first house. Anyone with the Moon conjunct Pluto has to expect heartaches and transformational change within their relationships, however accepting change is something that Kate will be very fearful of doing. Kate has already had one marriage breakdown with Jim Threapleton, and she is currently separated from her second husband, director Sam Mendes, demonstrating the destructive nature of Pluto on her emotional life. Despite the emotional problems she has faced, she will always have her family around her. A new Moon child will always look up to and model themselves on their mother, and Pluto’s closeness to both the Moon and the Sun will mean that Kate will always be very close to her parents. Kate will be very determined and the Sun/Pluto conjunction and  it’s pre-eminent position exactly straddling the Ascendant makes her very determined to be a prominent person, someone who will make a difference and an impact on the world. This stellium makes a multi-sextile to Neptune the ruler of film and creativity in the third house and this is where she has made such an impact. This sextile also beautifully describes the artistic and acting background of her parents who performed part time. The third house represents siblings, and both her brother and sister act too. The placement of Neptune in the 3rd house adds a colourful & imaginative side to Kate’s mind, she would have been a daydreamer when young and at school, a consciousness which fully “woke up” when she started studying drama at the age of 11.

The Moon and Mercury are opposite to Jupiter sitting in the 7th house. This is a very go ahead Jupiter sitting in Aries and Kate would have been eager and quite extrovert when young, there is a bit of a devil may care and brave attitude within the personality. This certainly showed when she rushed into the burning building to save the elderly Mrs Branson last month. Kate will be lively & optimistic certainly on the outside, and will pick partners from whom she can have an intellectual rapport and from whom she will learn something. She will have grand plans, and may at times expect too much from her partner. When things do go wrong, there will be the feeling that the grass may be greener on the other side, rather than working at and trying to solve the differences. Kate’s relationships will always be beset by these problems until she realises that they sometimes need hard work and a fair bit of compromise to get things right. It is noticeable that the Jupiter/Moon/Mercury oppositions form a stressful t-square with her Cancerian Midheaven. Her work and marriages have been inextricably linked so far. Maybe if she were to find a partner with other interests and work outside acting it may be beneficial to her in the long-run, as Jupiter in the 7th can operate in a very fruitful and satisfying way with regard to personal relationships, if given the chance to do so.

As well as being determined, Kate does have a very independent streak. Uranus also sits in a crowded first house making her want to stand out from the crowd. She will often take the odd risk in her film and work choices and she will enjoy shocking or surprising people, wanting to project her character as truly individual. Uranus is part of a mini grand trine, being trine to Mars in the 9th house and sextile to Venus in the 11th. This is a very busy and sociable formation. Mars is in Gemini which is energetic and always on the go, wanting to know everything going on. Mars in the 9th house is very sure of it’s convictions and beliefs and she will fight for them with all her might. Mars makes a trine to Mercury making Kate quite outspoken, convincing and direct in her speech. Venus in the 11th loves an active social life and to be surrounded by friends. This is somebody who will like working in group or social projects, yet with Uranus in the 1st Kate will want to be noticed doing this. She will want her involvement to stand out and to make a difference to whatever she does get involved with.

There is one last aspect I want to look at. Uranus makes a tight square to Saturn in the 10th house. Saturn in the 10th always is very ambitious and wanting to run things and get to the top of the tree. This placement bestows a patient and disciplined attitude to work, but Kate may get very disgruntled and bitter if her hard work and effort is not recognised in some way. Saturn sits in regal Leo, and this placement does require praise and affirmation unless the one is not to get rather grumpy. It leads me to suspect that Kate behind the optimistic outgoing attitude can get a bit bitter and twisted at times if things are not going her way. The square to Uranus will make her progressive in her work and she will get upset with those around her, if they do not accept the challenges that she throws down to them. By the same token, this square will always keep her fresh and relevant in the acting world, never looking to get type-cast or bogged down. Maybe this explains the continued success she has had since her first award nomination back in 1995 for Sense and Sensibility.

Looking ahead, with so many natal planets in Cardinal signs especially with Pluto at 9 Libra, Ascendant at 11 Libra, Sun at 11 Libra, Moon at 13 Libra and Midheaven at 14 Cancer, Kate in the next couple of years is going to experience some great upheaval in her life. This will begin in early next year when transiting Pluto hits 9 Capricorn squaring these planets by Feb 2012 continuing on until 2015. These changes, or more rightly transformations in Kate’s life are going to involve personal possessions and self worth with Scorpio on the cusp of the 2nd house. Pluto squaring it’s own position starts this cycle of change. Then friends and associations and the self will be changed (Pluto squaring the Sun and Ascendant), followed by her work and career with Pluto square to the Moon and opposite to the Cancer Midheaven. As Saturn transited this same zone last year, her marriage to Sam Mendes broke up. Saturn is now passing through Kate’s first house indicating a new quieter period in her development, and a new 7 year cycle of growth, a time where other interests and passions may start to take a greater role in her daily life. 

Angelina Jolie - Finding strength and success out of a difficult upbringing.

Today I will look at Angelina Jolie thanks to a suggestion from one of my readers – thank you Veritas. If ever you are interested in me delving into the motivations and the life of anyone famous of currently in the news, if I have the time I will do an article. Please email me at my address on the left hand side of the page.

Angelina Jolie Voight to give her full name was born on 4th June 1975 in Los Angeles, California at 09.09 in the morning. She is a Sun Gemini with a very active Aries Moon and a very protective Cancer Ascendant. Sun Gemini’s tend to have a scattergun approach to life, bouncing around from one thing to the next, they are the type that never sit still for a minute. Versatile but not always reliable, Geminis always need to know what is going on. Chatty and fun, they are the true communicators of the zodiac.

Angelina’s chart is notable for two things. Firstly there are no planets in Earth signs. Gemini’s need grounding at the best of times so this will prove a problem to Angelina. Secondly her chart contains a mystic rectangle. is formation does not appear very often in Astrology.

Now, the Sun in Gemini in the 11th house forms one corner to the rectangle. Moving out by sextile we find a conjunction of Jupiter Moon and Mars on the Midheaven, all of which are in Aries in the 9th. There is a trine from Sun to Pluto in the 3rd house and an opposition from Sun to Neptune in the 5th. Finally from the triple conjunction we find an opposition back to Pluto. Mystic rectangles are often quite creative formations, the energy flows easily around the outside (these show the talents), almost as a barrier to the two stressful oppositions from within. The trick in handling them is to learn to use the oppositions as motivational tools, so that these talents can be fully expressed. I think that Mystic Rectangles can also be rather Scorpionic in nature, all the tensions can get bottled up inside and without an outlet, the tensions of the oppositions can almost destroy you from within. This one does have a outlet through a square from the triple conjunction out to Saturn.

The Sun in the 11th house is one where you feel far happier doing group projects, especially helping others (this is the Aquarius house). The Sun in Gemini makes one speak out and with Mercury also here in the 11th  in Gemini conjunct to the Sun, Angelina has been very vocal and active in supporting refugees in troubled states around the globe, from Cambodia to Darfur; she has visited over 50 countries in her work for the United Nations. Angelina has a quick versatile mind, always on the go and curious about life. Mercury in Gemini can tend to know a little about a lot of subjects, but rarely delves too deeply to uncover the minute details – Mercury in Gemini tends to gloss over the surface. She will have a flair for languages, a love of speaking, writing and conversing with the public and especially with friends. Moving around the outside of the rectangle, the trine from Sun to Pluto in the 3rd intensifies the passion and conviction of her voice. She is an impassioned speaker for peace and reconciliation in troubled areas. She also will be interested in group projects and associations, politics and social movements, within which she will want to be someone who stands out and takes the alternative view (Mercury trine Uranus). Pluto is in Libra, which shows a really strong need for harmonious relationships, and this pushes her to travel to war torn areas of the world as an ambassador to try to make a difference. Angelina will need to know exactly what is going on globally, and will having a deep interest in getting to the bottom of any problem and sorting it out.

Moving the other way from the Sun in the 11th house we see a sextile to a Jupiter Moon Mars and Midheaven. This is a very aspirational set of sextiles, self confident and ambitious (Sun sextile Jupiter), someone who wants to win and be first, a go getter (Sun sextile Mars) and very supportive of her family (Sun sextile Moon).  I say supportive despite the indication that at home life will be a bit of a battle; when young, she would have fought with her mother for sure. The Moon conjunct to Mars in fiery Aries sees to this as well, as the fact that Uranus sits in the 4th house of home and family. Angelina’s home life would have been disruptive and we know that she came out of a broken family, her parents separating when she was just one. Just to reinforce the point, both ends of her parental axis, the cusps of the 4th house/10th house are under stress. Mars ruling Aries on the 10th cusp suffers a square to Saturn and Venus ruling Libra on the cusp of the 4th house is squared by disruptive Uranus. As a rule, whenever either or both of these cusps are under stress, the Astrologer knows that life with the parents was difficult.  

The combination of Jupiter, Mars and Moon give emphasis to the Midheaven, Angelina will have been very determined and optimistic that she could reach the top, to fulfil her considerable ambitions. Acting wise, she tends to go for big budget physical action roles like Tomb Raider, Mr & Mrs Smith, Wanted & Salt; a result of the Mars/Jupiter influence on the Midheaven as well as the whole conjunction being in Aries. This Aries Midheaven will make her very publically vocal and impassioned; wanting to make a big impression on the world stage (all 3 planets are in the international 9th house) as someone who takes the initiative.

This quadruple conjunction completes the mystic rectangle by making a trine to Neptune. Here is the film and acting link. All that optimism, the grand ideas the need to be first and pre-eminent, the public appreciation she needs is translated through the Aries Midheaven into her acting. Neptune is in the creative 5th house in optimistic Sagittarius. Angelina has a definite charisma about her (Neptune trine Mars) and the Neptune Moon trine gives her a delicate edge, despite all the Aries and aggressiveness in the rest of the chart.

Finding Neptune in the 5th explains Angelina’s absolute love of children. She has adopted three and had three more naturally. Interestingly the adopted children all came from foreign shores, from Cambodia, Vietnam and Ethiopia once again confirming the Sagittarian link. Neptune in the 5th house does look for the perfect love and in Brad Pitt she finally has found someone who comes up to her rigorous standards. This is her 3rd high profile relationship, 2 marriages to Johnny Lee Miller and Billy Bob Thornton ending up in the divorce courts. Angelina has Capricorn on the cusp of her 7th house, permanent relationships will often cause her disappointments. Brad is a good match for her as he has 6 planets in Earth signs (remember Angelina has none). With Capricorn (an earth sign) ruling her 7th, it is no wonder that she was drawn to him immediately? We all unconsciously seek to fill the gaps in our lives, and he provides the stability (earth) that she requires.

Right. I’ve explored the outside of the mystic rectangle, the part of Angelina that we actually see, the motivations that act as a buffer or shield for the frailties of the two oppositions that lie within. Those oppositions are not easy. We have a Sun Neptune opposition and Pluto opposed to Mars and the Moon. The Sun Neptune again reinforces the Neptune Moon and Neptune Midheaven trines, bringing sensitivity, artistic ability and a love of beauty and colour. This opposition softens the persona but opens up the possibility of escapism, drug and alcohol abuse; problems which coloured her early life. We also find the possibility of being deceived or deceiving others in the giving and receiving of love. The other opposition Pluto opposite Moon/Mars is very stormy. Angelina will always fight for control within her relationships and this will often lead to a dominant partner / submissive partner situation . She will be subject to instant, magnetic obsessions about people she encounters, her personal desires are intense and her personal relationships difficult as a result. The relationship with her mother as I touched on earlier would have been very close yet tumultuous, and a lot of her behaviour I believe stems from her influence, indeed it was her mother who inspired her to turn to acting.

Like grand trines, I think mystic rectangles need an outlet otherwise the whirling energies of the rectangle can encompass you completely. The outlet on this one  as I mentioned earlier is through a square from the quadruple conjunction to Saturn in the 12th. Saturn is in family based Cancer, so the energies resulting from the rectangle are used in a serious and constructive way to caring after her family (Cancer) especially her children who she will like to keep out of the spotlight (12th), and through her work (Saturn). Saturn through the square to the Moon amplifies the difficult emotional problems and clashes with her mother but at the same time it contributes a good work ethic (Saturn square Mars). Her moods will veer between the optimistic and the pessimistic (Saturn square Jupiter) and because of the 12th house, placing she will appear rather cool and distant. Saturn in the 12th tends to be a bit defensive, fearing dependence on others (this maybe a result of her early life experiences) and as such she will often appear on the defensive. Angelina will need to get away to the seclusion of her family life and the joy of her children every so often; it will be the one thing that keeps her life on a balance.

There is one more aspect that I have yet to explore, from Venus in Cancer just inside the 12th house conjunct to the ascendant square to Uranus in the 4th. Venus in a prominent position on an angle (especially Ascendant and Midheaven) always gives good looks and Angelina has head turning beauty which she has utilised to further her career. In the 12th it shows that with relationships of all sorts, she will suffer in some way. Those relationships will start at a moment’s notice, electric and impulsively but as with any connection to Uranus, the excitement often wears off soon and then reality hits home.

Angelina is a fascinating character, as I am sure you will agree. A little mysterious and definitely wary of the world, she sometimes can’t help herself in throwing herself into situations where she will make news. She is an achiever, has belief in her own abilities, has suffered her full share of problems in her life (many self-inflicted), yet her love of children and her passion about fixing humanity and making the world a better and safer place does come from the heart. I think she truly cares about those in trouble and to those whom she loves, and always will.

Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries marry in California. Will it be happy ever after?

As celebrity weddings go, this was rather a big one. Kim Kardashian at the weekend married basketball star Kris Humphries in a ceremony held in Montecito, California. How do these two get on? Will their married last the test of time? Lets have a look at the astrology to find out…

Kim was born on 21st October 1980 in Los Angeles at 10.46am. She is a very sociable Sun Libra with a very sensitive Pisces Moon and a party loving Sagittarian Ascendant. Her Sun and Moon combination make her want to please others, she will be very gentle, will love romance and sincerity but she will be very impressionable. Kim’s mind is very intuitive, and she will detect very quickly when someone is being insincere to her. She will be a very self sufficient girl with most of the planets on the Eastern hemisphere (left) of the chart.

Her Sun is conjunction with Pluto so she has huge plans and a need to be recognised or be someone special; she also likes to be in control of her life. Being a Sun Libra, harmony and equality will be most important to Kim, she will fight if she feels any type of injustice. She will have a quick flexible brain, and she will become impatient with those slower than her; she may be a bit of a whizz with technical things like gadgets and computers and she may be interested in astrology. She will love animals of all sorts and may be quite talented in making things with her hands, from art to pottery or sculpture. This is a girl who needs constant excitement and mental stimulation in a relationship otherwise she will go off to find it elsewhere. The Uranus Mercury conjunction in Scorpio makes a trine to the sensitive Pisces Moon, making her excitable, unpredictable and a little wild with a spontaneous sense of fun and an outrageous sense of humour.

This Moon anchors the chart; her emotions and imagination will be extremely important to her well-being. The Moon is opposite Venus Saturn and Jupiter. This is a very powerful set of oppositions. It does suggest that she will suffer emotionally in her life, her emotions are at odds with her need for love and companionship, she will be uncertain exactly what she wants from a personal relationship. The Saturn Moon opposition says of a difficult mother/daughter relationship. They were obviously at odds with each other, and Kim would have felt the criticism and hurt from her intensely. She will be constantly battling the demons from her past and she will strive to prove her doubting mother wrong. Luckily for Kim, Jupiter sits conjunct to Saturn in the 10th house on her Midheaven conjunct to Venus in the 9th house. Venus conjunct the Midheaven often bestows model looks and Kim has used them to project her public image around the globe, her career has been carved around her image.

She is a hard working girl (Mars sextile Saturn), loves beauty and and may be creative in this field (Mercury sextile Venus) and will look endlessly for that perfect dream love (Neptune square Venus). Neptune in the first house close to the ascendant does encourage escapism – would she marry to escape all the insecurities she has felt in her life? Has she found the right guy? Lets look at Kris Humphries, her new husband.

Kris was born on 6th February 1985 in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the US. Unfortunately I have not found a birth time for him. Does anyone know it? Please email me if you do. So he is a Sun Sign Aquarius with either a Leo or Virgo Moon. If Kris was born before 07.00 then he has a Leo Moon, otherwise the Moon is in Virgo. Emotionally it makes a huge difference. The Leo Moon loves the limelight, wants to be special and is just a little proud, stubborn and overbearing. The Virgo Moon is self-critical, a rather shy, perfectionist and a bit of a worrier. Those with Virgo Moons do have quick reactions and have good common sense. If I were to hazard a guess, it needs a big personality to accompany the showbiz caravan which surrounds Kim, so I would lean towards a Leo Moon, although a Virgo one would suit her gentle Pisces emotions far better.

Kris’ Moon potentially squares his Saturn, so like Kim, he may have had a difficult relationship with his mother. We find Saturn also in rather a wide conjunction to the  North Node if anything increasing the effect. Maybe this common factor was one that brought them together? The Moon is trine to Neptune, so Kris will have a soft impressionable heart, and he will sacrifice everything to make sure that harmony is kept in his emotional life. He will not like upsets and turmoil. Both Mars and Venus are in go ahead Aries, so in love Kris will be a no nonsense type of guy. He will be have been looking for his dream girl (Venus square Neptune) and he will want to live out his dreams and fantasies (Mars square Neptune). In Kim, he seems to have found all of these things. He would have been the one to make the first move; Venus  conjunct Mars is always pushy in love, but if there are problems, he will be the one to move on first. He will not want to fight and battle as I explained earlier.

Kris will value loyalty highly (Venus trine Saturn) and he will work hard to make this relationship work (Mars trine Saturn). He will be rather self protective and a bit secretive with his Saturn in Scorpio. Letting others into his private world is difficult for him, he may rather fear deep emotional intimacy.

Kris is a bit of an perpetual student, always wanting to know and learn more; he will have an insatiable thirst for knowledge. He may as he gets older have a desire to teach or instruct those younger than himself; a potential basketball coach of the future perhaps? Jupiter and Mercury are both in Aquarius like the Sun so he will without doubt be a progressive thinker and planner as well as fiercely independent. Pluto makes a square to this conjunction of Jupiter and Mercury. His mind will always be looking for the motives under the surface, the mind of the detective. He needs to be careful of this, as one can start suspecting things that are not true, jealousy and paranoia are possible with Mercury square Pluto. Pluto square Jupiter is very lucky, quite often people with this aspect literally attract money and prestige without trying too hard. Kris will be an opportunistic type of guy, ready to seize upon any good ideas that come his way. He certainly was opportunistic when Kim came along, wasn’t he?

Now, let’s look at the synastry chart. The synopsis is not too bad. The one stand out aspect for me is that Kris’ Aquarian Sun conjuncts with Kim’s South Node. There will be a karmic connection between them, almost as if they have known each other all of their lives. Some say that people with this connection did meet in a previous life and have issues still to settle in this one. Kim’s Moon connects nicely with Kris’ Venus and Mars which shows good friendship and Kris’ Jupiter makes a trine to Kim’s Jupiter and Midheaven and squares her Sun bringing fortune and public awareness to them both. Kris’ Venus makes a lovely trine to Kim’s Mars, so there is attraction aplenty between them. Kris’ Pluto is in wide conjunction with Kim’s Sun, so he may overpower and control her and her Neptune is square his Neptune which can be a bit depressing. His Mercury is square to her Sun so he may say hurtful things to hit her pride along the way. Her Saturn does oppose his Mars and Venus – this could be a tad tricky if she is in a bad mood as she may put the brakes on. When he wants to go, she will say stop, in both an emotional and a physical sense.

They are not perfect in a synastry sense although I have seen far worse. There is not really good line of communication which I always like to see. Mercury in both charts are in fixed signs, so I fear a stand off if there are problems. The Saturn opposite Venus Mars could cause problems.

On the Composite chart, which shows a combination look at the couple as a pair and how they will relate to each other, we see more difficulty. There is a very stressful opposition from Venus up to a Sun Mercury & Neptune conjunction. Sun Mercury and Neptune is very idealistic and sensitive, but is also rather delusionary and deceptive. It does suggest that their communication will get better as the relationship develops, but the chance of ultimate disappointment is definitely there. The ideals and hopes at the start tend to be too high, and when reality does set in, you are let down in a big way.

Depending on Kris’ birth time, there may be a Sun Moon opposition. This creates great attraction between the two but also competition and a sense that something is not quite right, there is an imbalance between the two personalities which causes tension. Now this Venus Neptune Sun Mercury opposition makes a wedge with Saturn and Pluto at the point. Saturn and Pluto in a composite chart shows they two will have difficult times together and that staying together will be a struggle, but these difficulties will come from the outside world. Either you fight to keep the relationship stronger, and in a way this benefits both of you in the long term bringing you together as one force against the world, or you give in and split. Some succeed with this conjunction but many often fail. This shows how much you do love each other and how you cope with adversity as a couple.

Uranus and Jupiter together in conjunction shows that the two of them will need room to breath within the relationship, being stuck under the same roof for days on end will not suit them. In their present situation, it may be fine as they have many outside commitments but in the future? This aspect will allow them to grow and have unusual experiences especially in travel that will benefit each other.

Finally the composite Mars squares to Saturn and Pluto. This is rather nasty as both Kim and Kris will be working at cross purposes to each other. At best they will tend to get in each others way, at worst the relationship can turn into a battlefield as one will want to do one thing and the other will want to do something else. In a sexual sense, they will have differing emotional moods creating potential tension in the bedroom. Tension will exist between the two and with Mars square to Pluto, this could eventually turn spiteful. Mars and Pluto is very competitively intense, with physical and psychological battles. Both Kim and Kris will need the space I mentioned before, without which this relationship could turn into a full scale war.

I hope they find happiness, but I fear over time that the differences and tensions between them may become too hard to bare. Certainly if I were advising them, I would tell them to be tolerant of each other, to give each other plenty of room and to try and find interests that they both enjoy doing. Find some sort of common ground that they can gravitate to in the difficult moments that will come from such a high profile marriage.    

**** Update 31st Oct 11 ****

Kim files for divorce – read why it happened - Kim files for divorce after 72 days

Marg Helgenberger – CSI actress bowing out at the top. A look at her horoscope and her character

Marg Helgenberger in the past few days announced that she had decided to leave the hit TV series CSI “Crime Scene Investigation”. I for one will be sorry to see her go, as it is one show that I have been hooked on since I discovered it – must be my Mars in Scorpio that draws me in. She leaves at the end of series 12 after an incredible 11 year run playing the character of Catherine Willows.

Marg befitting of someone who is in the programme a forensic detective, is a Sun Sign Scorpio, born on 16th November 1952 at 09.38am in Fremont, Nebraska. She has a cool yet very glamorous Aquarius Moon and a free and fun loving Sagittarius ascendant.  The Sun sits in the 11th house of friends groups and receiving love in conjunction with both Venus and Jupiter. This is a very fun loving combination full of optimism, love and generosity, yet also deep, emotional and secretive with it. Marg will be very popular with all her friends and colleagues and will be very generous to causes that she finds worthy. Marg’s mother did suffer with breast cancer, indicated by the Moon (which represents the mother) receiving a close square to Neptune which does weaken the health and a nasty inconjunct (150 degree) aspect from destructive Pluto. As such, this is a charity that Marg has taken to her heart.

That Moon is in Aquarius in the 2nd house. This is a very caring place for the Moon to be placed and often you find this is the place of the social servant, somebody who needs to put themselves out to the public to be judged. In acting you put yourself out to be criticised every time she makes an episode. With the Moon in Aquarius, Marg will shine in the limelight and glare of the TV and film cameras, she will love the attention, but as with all Aquarius placements there will be a cool air to her, hard to get close to. This is echoed by Saturn sitting in her first house. The motivation behind her acting career will be monetary and the ability to build security and a comfortable life for herself. These she will closely guard and add to; often the houses of people with second house Moon are a veritable treasure trove, they never throw anything away and are great hoarders. Antiques and collectibles will definitely catch her eye.

Gathered around the Sagittarian ascendant we find Saturn and Mercury, Saturn in the 1st house and Mercury in the 12th. Marg will have a serious side to her personality. She will tend to be careful in any project she takes and will approach it in a mature and disciplined manner. She will appear as the strong and silent type, only offering up an opinion when she absolutely has to give one. Saying that, she will have a very methodical mind, excellent powers of concentration and no little intelligence; this is one smart lady. With Saturn and Mercury in trine to Uranus, she will embrace any technology and scientific forms of progress, so long as it can be proven useful to her; she will have a healthy scepticism of life in general. One thing that Marg will be very conservative in will be her beliefs. She will take her politics and faith very seriously, so much so that her she may prevent herself from appreciating other peoples point of views just through her own rather dogmatic ways. Marg is very stubborn having no less than 7 planets in fixed houses. When she digs her heels in, not even heaven and earth will move her.

We find Neptune in the 10th house of work and career. Neptune here often conveys a confusion especially when young in the direction one wants to go career wise. Neptune does have medical connotations and the desire to serve, and Marg growing up had a desire to be a nurse like her mother was. Notice the link back to the Moon in the social serving 2nd house, her mother (the Moon) cared for people. Of course, Marg found acting and Neptune here is a lovely fit as it rules creation films and TV. Neptune makes three connections to other planets, one to the Moon, the second to Jupiter in conjunction and third to Pluto in the 8th house. Both Pluto and Uranus are found here. Pluto in the 8th is strong sitting in it’s own house. It gives Marg an interest in death and the darker side of life. Before she took on her role as Catherine Willows, she visited autopsies in progress to research her role. Typical of a Sun sign Scorpio to go to exceptional lengths to get it right. Combine the 3 aspects to Neptune, Jupiter and it’s traditional connections to the law, the Moon and the need to be in the spotlight with Pluto and the dark side and you have the synopsis for CSI and the reason for her success. Indeed, had she not been an actress, her chart would have lead me to think that a career in investigation would have been very suited to her.

Uranus also is in the 8th and so Marg’s life at times will be subject to dramatic change, Uranus makes a trine to her ascendant, so all of a sudden she will cut her ties and go off in a new direction. True enough, when Marg announced her divorce to her husband Alan Rosenberg in Dec 08, transiting Uranus was square to her ascendant and quindecile to Pluto signifying a significant change in her life. Previous to December 2008, Uranus would have made a square connection to Mercury, ruling her 7th house of permanent relationships through Gemini on the cusp of the 7th. The problems with her husband would have started at least a couple of years earlier. 

In love and in relationships, Marg will be passionate and very emotionally involved. This shown by Venus sitting in deep Scorpio opposite to Mars in the 5th house in Taurus. Mars opposite Venus is very amorous and very determined in getting the object of one’s desires. She will be very forward and determined, so when she falls for someone, she will make sure she gets her man. Mars in the 5th loves sport, competition and games of any description, there is a huge desire to be number one.  Marg will have huge reserves of energy, able to work and work until she drops. It takes a hell of a lot of commitment to do 12 series back to back of any TV series, let alone one as complicated and involved as CSI. She certainly had the commitment and desire, but now she has decided that it was time to move on. Looking at the transits it is easy to see why.

Everything on Marg’s transit chart has been saying to her change. Uranus which I spoke of earlier has been sextile to her natal Moon, Cancer ruled by the Moon is on the cusp of the 8th house of change. Transiting Pluto is sextile to her natal Neptune, encouraging her to find a new TV role and is trine to it’s own position in the 8th house of change. the transiting North Node is exactly conjunct her ascendant, a shift in her life path is now due, and transiting Saturn is exactly conjunct her Midheaven, representing her public role. Saturn is reinforcing the message to be ambitious and to move on while she is at the top. Astrologically, for her it was exactly the right thing to do – maybe with Pluto & Uranus in the 8th house and an interest to unusual subjects like astrology, an astrologer advised her. Not myself I might add. With a great and successful TV career behind her now, I am sure it will not be long before she will find a suitable role to get her teeth into.

Leonardo DiCaprio – Looking at the horoscope of Hollywood’s highest earning actor.

Riding high on the back of the success of the wonderful film Inception, Leonardo DiCaprio has been the highest grossing film star of the past year, increasing his bank balance by a cool $77 million. I delve into the horoscope to find out the hidden motivations of the somewhat reclusive star to see what make Leonardo tick.

Leo is a Sun sign Scorpio, born on 11th November 1974 at 02.47am in Los Angeles and his Moon and Ascendant are in socially savvy Libra, the Moon sitting in the first house. You notice straight away that all of the planets are based in the eastern hemisphere of the chart except one, Jupiter. This suggests someone who is concerned about the self, with a me first attitude. There is one big exception to this which I will expand on a bit later.

The Sun sits in Scorpio the 2nd house of personal possessions and self worth closely conjunct to Venus. This conjunction continues into a wide stellium connecting Mars also in the 2nd house through to Uranus and Mercury just into the first. The Sun in Scorpio is quiet, private and deeply emotional in the 2nd. Leo will have great faith in his own abilities and very tied to wealth and his personal possessions. He will have a very unassuming nature, being kind and thoughtful and will want to lead a comfortable life of luxury. With an interest in economics and finance, one would assume had you not known this chart of an actor, that this would be the chart of a businessman. I suspect Leo sees his acting career as a vehicle for financing a luxury life for himself. The Sun and Venus make trines up to Saturn in the 10th showing that Leo has controlled ambition & will set himself achievable goals. In relationships, Leo will attracted to loyal stable women. I suspect that superficiality will be something he will not seek in a partner, he would rather be with somebody who stays true and has nothing, rather than someone who owns the world, yet plays around. Difficult to find in the Hollywood bubble, and as such he remains a very rich and eligible single guy.

Mars in the 2nd in Scorpio shows he will have a rather reckless attitude to spending (although he can afford it) and a very passionate nature, yet extremely private. Here is someone who once he wants something will go to all extremes to get it. Leo will also be a person who will from time to time suffer with jealousy. Mars in Scorpio is very vengeful (I know as I have this position too) and he will want to get even with anyone who wrongs him. All this will boil underneath the surface, only noticeable to those closest to him.

Moving around the stellium, we reach Mercury and Uranus in the 1st house in Libra. Leo has a very independent air about him. Sharp, intelligent, wanting to do his own thing he will take his own time in choosing what projects he wants to support. Sure he will have a social side to his choices (Libra is a very social sign) in knowing what his public wants, however he will always be drawn to doing something a little different, more against the grain, challenging the normal perceptions people have of him. Uranus conjunct Mars likes to test oneself and push one’s abilities to the maximum. Those on the set will know a temperamental man, edgy, restless, straight to the point and very frank and honest in his views. 

Also in the the first house we find Pluto conjunct to the Ascendant and conjunct to the Moon. Moon/Pluto people are very deep, intense, driven to do their own thing and wanting to control their own lives. They feel to the very core of their being and when they are passionate about a cause, they will move heaven and high water to achieve their aims. I think this is the key to Leo, the passion and dedication he throws into his work. He quite literally lives the parts. Note all the aspects from the Sun, Moon, Uranus, Mercury and Pluto up to the Midheaven – here is a flood of energy being directed at his career. It is interesting that Moon Pluto is very subtly manipulative as a combination. Leo will have the ability to bring others around to his way of thinking, just through the power of his convictions. Mind control was the main subject of his latest film Inception, it fits doesn’t it?

Pluto conjunct to the Moon always hints at a controlling and rather strict mother. Leo’s parents split when he was just one year old and so he had to grow up in a broken family. Looking to two of the two planets I haven’t yet looked at we see the proof. Saturn sits retrograde in Cancer square to the Moon. Saturn retrograde always indicates a lack of love received from the father in the growing up process and the square aspect shows that he had a difficult relationship with her. A difficult one, but a close one.

Looking to the North Node, the maternal axis, we find it closely conjunct to Neptune. It was his mother who pushed young Leo into the creative world of acting and TV (ruled by Neptune) at just 5, confirmed by the fact that Pluto lies 5 degrees from the ascendant. Those first baby steps in front of a camera were to change his life path. Neptune lies in the 3rd house of the local environment and in Los Angeles, TV and Hollywood was his local environment. The 3rd house is the house of communication, and through the medium of film was the intensely private Leo’s preferred way of getting his message out. Neptune sits in Sagittarius square to Jupiter in Pisces. Here are planets in mutual reception, they work together beautifully. The film industry helps Leo to travel and experience new cultures (Jupiter) and his notoriety and success helps him in his other passion, eco conservatism. This is the one side of Leo that goes against the more self-centred side of his personality. Jupiter sits in the 6th house, traditionally ruled by Virgo; an earth sign. People with powerful placements here are often fond of the countryside and of nature. This Jupiter is part of a grand trine, with Mars in the 2nd and the Midheaven in Cancer. Leo will use the money he earns from his films (Mars in 2nd) to give generously (Jupiter) to conserve and protect (Cancer) plants and animal species.

Just recently, Leo has been starting a new 28 year cycle of growth. His Saturn is now starting to progress through his first house so the success of Inception which happened as Saturn transited his ascendant has now passed. This probably means that we will not see so much of him in the coming years, maybe making fleeting appearances in films he feels worthy to do. Saturn as it transits through the first to 3rd houses always means one takes a lower profile in things. It doesn’t mean that we won’t see much of him this year and into next, as a lot of work is already in the can. Transiting Jupiter will oppose Sun and Venus in March 2012 around Oscar time, so it is quite possible Leo will be only adding to his list of filmic achievements. I suspect afterwards, in a couple of years time as Saturn hits the second house of finance and making things, he will start to take an even more active role in his conservation interests, maybe spending time abroad and building on the work that he has already done. Also, watch out for some type of news with him involving women in the next month or two which will affect his public standing as transiting Saturn conjuncts his natal Moon affecting in turn his Cancerian Midheaven. The exact hit will be in early September 2011.

Arnold Schwarzenegger – A look at the horoscope at the film star and politician suffering from personal problems.

Arnold Schwarzenegger has had a tough time recently. First he split from his wife Maria Schriver  in May after a 25 year marriage, and then in the past week his 13 year old son Christopher was severely hurt in a surfing accident and the estranged couple broke off divorce proceedings to be at the bedside of their son in intensive care. Luckily he is in recovery now but in the words of Schwarzenegger, it has been a “scary week”.

Arnold was born on 30th July 1947 in Graz, Austria at 04.10am. He is a proud Sun sign Leo in the first house with a hardworking Capricorn moon and a protective Cancerian ascendant. Immediately one can sense that this is a man who would work like a trojan to get to the top at whatever he set his heart on. The Leo Sun wants to be number one, to rule is his “raison d'être”. With Venus also in the 1st house this is a friendly, kind big hearted fellow, a larger than life character for sure. One with a love of a sentimental side, a love of his family and of his nation. With Venus in the first house also a love of his own beauty, definitely someone who would look adoringly at himself in the mirror, yes Arnold would have a touch of vanity. Once he got to the top, he would protect his position with gusto. The Cancerian ascendant is always a little paranoid of anyone impeding on one’s territory, putting barriers up around one to protect what one has.

The Moon sits in the 6th house of everyday work in Capricorn. Here is the need to administrate combined with huge ambition. These type of people can handle several jobs at the same time, they are true workaholics. The feelings are stifled, well at least on the outside and Arnie may appear tough and business like, while inside he is as emotional as the next person. Moon in Capricorn people are afraid of showing emotion. This is a very practical position for the Moon and Arnie will instinctively act to make the lives of those around him better.

The Moon makes two quindecile aspects to Mercury and Mars (conjunct to Uranus) all in the 12th house. The 12th is the house of service. The Moon/Mercury quindecile shows that when he does speak, and I don’t think he enjoys public speaking, he speaks from the heart in tune with his emotional state at the time.  Mercury trines onto Jupiter giving Arnold a philosophical mind as well as a flair for law and diplomacy.  This endears him with the public  and he will instinctively know how to deal with them, and what they want from him. The Mars/Moon quindecile is emotionally charged. Mars in the 12th in Gemini is busy, wanting to know everything going on, doing several tasks at the same time. It is also a position where one wants to help others and with Uranus adding extra impetus to this, Arnold will work tirelessly on behalf of other people, putting his own needs a distant second. The proud and emotional tie to his community as well as the notoriety and drive that Arnold showed in service to others propelled him to the post of Governor of California. Not bad for a boy from a poor family in Austria. Arnold is not without is impulsive side and when frustrated Mars conjunct Uranus can also be indicative of a sharp temper.

The Moon also make a square aspect to Neptune in Libra in the 4th house. Neptune rules Arnold’s Midheaven through Pisces being on the cusp, and also makes a powerful quindecile aspect to the Midheaven. This Midheaven is connected to most of the planets on the chart, you can the aspect radiating out from the top.  Neptune and Pisces (as you will know if you read my blog regularly) rule creativity, TV and films. The powerful square from Mars and Uranus to the Midheaven show his ambition and determination to be a unique talent on the silver screen. This was always going to be his initial career path.

Neptune makes a sextile to a heavy Saturn/Pluto conjunction in the 2nd house which is also conjunct to that first house Sun. The connection between the Sun and this conjunction shows that the young Arnold would have been dominated by his controlling father. Saturn and Pluto in the 2nd house of self worth indicate that Arnie would have felt completely unworthy. Neptune sort of confirms this fact in the 4th showing that the home was a confusing, destabilizing place. Saturn and Pluto in the 2nd also confers a huge need to build up wealth and possessions, because of a fear of not having enough. There is a huge motivational force here if Arnie could find it as Saturn Pluto can move the earth and achieve incredible feats, however it can also bring one crashing down to earth in a huge way (see my post on Rupert Murdoch and his family).

So we have a young lad who feels inferior and wants to prove himself to his father, who has a streak of vanity within himself and has a dream to get to the top. What did he do? He took up bodybuilding to increase his confidence. There is square from Saturn/Pluto to Pluto in Scorpio in the 5th house. The 5th house is the house of sport, games, exercise and creativity. Arnold always like sport and Jupiter here makes one go to extremes. The Scorpio influence would have increased the effect, making Arnold compulsive about developing his physique and doing heavy workouts. As we all know, Arnie became a champion body builder eventually winning the Mr Universe competition. Jupiter trines to the ascendant too and confers a love of children and a rather risky attitude to affairs of the heart. The revelation that Arnie was fathering two children with 5 days of each other with two separate women back in 1997 just goes to show the dangers of Jupiter and it’s need for excess.

Through the transits of today you can see the see directly the problems Arnie has been suffering. Transiting Pluto has been conjunct to Arnold’s natal moon for the past few months, so this is a breakdown in his emotional life. The Moon rules his ascendant through Cancer so this hits him personally and Pluto through Scorpio sits on the cusp of the 5th house of children. The discovery of the previously unknown (Pluto) child (5th) he fathered has broken his long standing marriage. Transiting Uranus is opposing natal Neptune and is square to natal Moon. As we know, there has been an accident (Uranus) affecting his family (4th house) on water (Neptune) bringing him and his wife (Moon) unexpectedly (Uranus) back together as one, just for a while in support of their son. However this reunion will not last for long and when Saturn squares his ascendant in October this year and not long after squares natal Venus, the divorce process will be complete and Arnold will at last be able to move on with his life.

Ricky Gervais – Comedy genius courting trouble and taking on an Almighty challenge.

Ricky Gervais has never held back from challenging people. That’s what comedians do, don’t they? They live on the edge, are incredibly brave using the power of humour to give the alternative view on society or of people, one which often could not be voiced without fear of criticism. Ricky courted major controversy at this year’s Golden Globe presentations when a string of jokes were aimed at the nominees. Now his latest venture is also going to test the resolve of many people, as his new comedy series “Afterlife” sees him, a confirmed non-believer, play the role of God.

Ricky was born on 25th June 1961 in Reading Berkshire, England (no birth time for Ricky is yet known) so is an emotional Sun sign Cancerian. Even without knowing his birth sign, I guessed Ricky was born under the sign of the Moon. Cancerians have a certain look about them, a slightly round face, often a jovial smile and an upbeat disposition. My brother is a Cancerian and he displays all of those qualities. Behind the sunny side is a far more emotional being, Cancerians worry, fret, are hugely protective and hide their insecurities behind the facade. Surely the idea of the circus clown was created initially by a Cancerian.

Ricky’s Moon is also in a water sign, Scorpio (not affected by the lack of a birth time). Here is a really cutting edge to the personality, ready to delve deep into the psyche of those around him, wanting to know everything. Ricky will be a difficult person to deal with, and will emotionally explode with a volcanic temper when upset. The Moon makes a square aspect to a temperamental Uranus/Mars conjunction in forthright Leo. It also (potentially) forms a t-square opposite to Venus with the Mars/Uranus at the point. The Mars/Uranus in Leo is fiercely independent and reckless, and able to hurt people’s feelings without realising it. There is a wonderful experimental quality about this aspect though, and Ricky will venture into territory fearlessly that other people would not touch. Uranus square to the Moon show that Ricky’s emotions will vary from one day to the next, one day he will be motivated, the next day he couldn’t be bothered. This will be the same in his emotional life too and probably explains why he has been living with his girlfriend for 29 years without taking the plunge into married life. Ricky needs the freedom of a single life, as each day he does not know how he is going to feel. This is echoed in the Moon Venus opposition. Moon/Venus has problems in deciding what one actually wants out of a love relationship, however with Venus in possessive and stable Taurus, Ricky has remained true to his long term partner. One problem Ricky does face is that in certain areas of his life he can get stuck in his ways – 6 planets are in fixed signs, but he will be alright if he continues to work and to innovate. If he stops, then one would start to get get concerned about him getting caught in the proverbial rut, and all the stresses that that could produce. As you can guess by now, Ricky is someone who is full of extremes and contradictions.

Central to Ricky’s creative acumen is his Neptune in Scorpio. Neptune makes connections to Pluto in careful Virgo, trines to Mercury and his Sun together in Pisces and a square to expansive Jupiter in glamorous Aquarius. The Neptune, Sun/Mercury and Pluto mini grand trine is very revealing. Firstly Ricky will work and communicate his ideas his way, and will be very protective of his concepts. He has a fertile imagination and is attracted to all things creative, be it music, TV, theatre, film (Neptune trine Sun/Mercury). In that creative streak, he likes to get down to the motivations of the characters he is portraying in great, great detail. Neptune in Scorpio gets beneath the skin to the seedier side of life, the unethical things which we dream about but often don’t express. Pluto in Virgo is able to pick out the tiniest details, the nuances, the gestures and through the Sun/Neptune Ricky portrays this all with great emotion in a Cancerian bitter, sweet self-depreciative way.  Mercury is retrograde so all the communication is turned in on himself, the same goes for his own stand up show.

Jupiter in Aquarius link allows Gervais to think outside the box and have the ability to innovate on a large scale; here is also the draw to a glitzy international career rather than a more downbeat homespun one. Saturn in serious Capricorn makes sure that Ricky works hard for his success, and also will hold him to account when that over excitable Jupiter, Mars, and Uranus get him into trouble. It will make him feel constantly in self-denial and burdened with responsibility, you can see the up and down, push and pull nature of the Saturn/Jupiter conjunction and the potential for rapid changes of mood - jovial and optimistic, then serious and pessimistic.

Back in 2001 when “The Office” was first aired, in my view still Ricky’s stand out work to date, progressed Venus was coming up to a conjunction with Ricky’s natal Sun. The transits at that launch did not show the success that was to come. That series was a slow burner and only picked up award after award in 2005, just as progressed Venus made an exact conjunction. Moving onto to today and there are an interesting set of transits for Ricky. Transiting Pluto is in opposition with his natal Sun showing that the 2-3 last years have very much been transitional ones for him with a few setbacks along the way. Transiting Pluto was exactly opposite natal Mercury at 6 degrees Capricorn when he did his now notorious Golden Globes presentation back in January. Right now Pluto is back at 6 Capricorn just as the announcement of Ricky playing God has come out. This is likely to upset quite a few people once again. Transiting Uranus is square natal Sun and Mercury, so this is Ricky going out on a limb taking a bit of a calculated risk, and Uranus is also sextile Saturn so here is the chance for him to overturn some conservative values in his own inimitable way. Backing this independent and revolutionary spirit, Solar Arc Mercury and Sun are currently conjunct natal Uranus. Finally (and this is really interesting) transiting Neptune, the planet of spirituality is exactly conjunct the natal South Node. Transits to the South Node are often less than successful. Gervais is known not to be a religious person, and has been reported as being an atheist, so taking on such a role just as Neptune has entered the spiritual sign of Pisces could be seen as a risky, especially if he does it in a condescending manner. Neptune has a way of sucking you in with optimism only to leave you in the mire, dismayed, confused and discredited. Transiting Neptune is still opposing natal Mars, so maybe this aspect was the motivating factor, taking on the challenge of tackling faith and pre-conceived spiritual notions of the Almighty one.

With the planets in the position they are right now & with Pluto still in opposition with the Sun and Mercury until around the end of  2012, I would have advised him to hold back on this project, at least for a few years until the difficult transits melted away. Being Ricky Gervais, he might just get away with it, but then again, he might not…