As an actor, I like to use spiritual tools to help map out character journeys. Using tools like Tarot & Astrology has helped me map out very intricate human frameworks to work with in scripts and in rehearsal rooms. Today, I want to dive into the fascinating world of birth charts in Astrology. Whether you're curious about astrology or looking to add depth to your character portrayals, understanding birth charts can offer some incredible insights. Stick around and I'll show you!
What's a Birth Chart, Anyway?
A birth chart - or natal chart as it's more commonly known as in astrology - can be seen as a celestial selfie, snapped at the exact moment you were born. This chart maps out where each planet was in the zodiac at that specific time, which astrologists believe contribute to your behaviour, your destiny, and every aspect of your life.
The Basics: Planets and Symbols
A birth chart is a circle divided into 12 segments called houses, each representing different areas of life. The planets in these houses and their relationships to each other tell the story of your personality and potential. Let's break down the primary planets to know when creating a birth chart:
Sun (☉): Your core essence and ego. It’s the heart of your identity, reflecting your primary drive and fundamental traits.
Moon (☽): Your emotions and inner self. The Moon represents your emotional responses and instinctive behaviors.
Mercury (☿): How you communicate and think. Mercury influences your intellectual activities and communication style.
Venus (♀): Your values, love, and beauty. Venus guides your relationships, what you value, and how you express love and affection.
Mars (♂): Your drive and desires. Mars is all about your energy, passions, and how you assert yourself.
Jupiter (♃): Your growth, luck, and wisdom. Jupiter expands your horizons, influencing your growth and the pursuit of wisdom.
Saturn (♄): Your discipline, responsibility, and structure. Saturn teaches you about discipline, challenges, and long-term goals.
Uranus (♅): Your innovation, rebellion, and change. Uranus brings innovation, sudden changes, and a sense of freedom.
Neptune (♆): Your dreams, intuition, and spirituality. Neptune connects you to your dreams, intuition, and spiritual inclinations.
Pluto (♇): Your transformation, power, and rebirth. Pluto deals with deep transformation, power dynamics, and rebirth.
Why Should Actors Care About Birth Charts?
As an actor, diving into a birth chart can be a game-changer for character development:
Understand Motivations: The Sun and Moon positions can reveal your character's core desires and emotional responses. This can help you decide how they might react in different situations. Knowing that your character’s Sun is in Scorpio, for example, could suggest they’re driven by a need for intensity and transformation.
Shape Communication Style: Mercury’s placement shows how your character communicates, and can influence your delivery. If your character’s Mercury is in Gemini, you might play them as quick-witted and talkative.
Explore Relationships and Desires: Venus and Mars guide you in understanding your character's love life and what drives them, adding layers to romantic or conflict scenes. A character with Venus in Taurus might value stability and beauty, while Mars in Aries could indicate a fiery and impulsive nature.
Identify Challenges and Growth: Saturn and Jupiter can shed light on your character's life lessons and growth, making their evolution more realistic. Saturn in Virgo might suggest a character who struggles with perfectionism, while Jupiter in Sagittarius could point to a love of adventure and learning.
Astrology as an Alternative to "Actioning a Text"
Often as actors, we are taught that "actioning a text" is the best way to find the presence of a character in text. However, my personal belief is that humans are more nuanced than that, and that by tapping into astrology, actors open themselves up to a structured yet imaginative framework to explore and play within, making way for a holistic understanding of your character’s motivations, behaviours, and relationships.
Character Example: Ebenezer Scrooge in "A Christmas Carol"
Let’s use Ebenezer Scrooge, the iconic miser from Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," to see how a birth chart can transform your understanding of a character.
Imagine you’re preparing to play Scrooge. By exploring his astrological profile, you can uncover deeper motivations and behaviours that add richness to your portrayal. Here’s how the character might differ with different astrological influences:
Scrooge as a Cancer (June 21 - July 22):
Sun in Cancer: As a Cancer, Scrooge might be driven by deep emotional currents and a fear of abandonment. His miserly ways could stem from past hurts and a need to protect himself. You could play his transformation with a focus on healing and reconnecting with family. His change is not just about generosity but about overcoming deep-seated fears and embracing vulnerability.
Moon in Cancer: With a Moon in Cancer, Scrooge’s harsh exterior hides a deeply sentimental side. His interactions with the Cratchit family could reveal a longing for emotional connection, making his eventual change even more heartwarming. You could play his coldness as a shield against emotional pain, which gradually melts as he reconnects with his softer side.
Scrooge as a Capricorn (December 22 - January 19):
Sun in Capricorn: As a Capricorn, Scrooge’s ambition and discipline are at the forefront. His obsession with money and control could stem from a fear of failure. Understanding this helps you play his journey as one of learning to balance ambition with compassion. His transformation can highlight the importance of balancing work and personal life.
Moon in Capricorn: Emotionally reserved, a Capricorn Moon Scrooge would struggle with vulnerability. His transformation would highlight the power of opening up and embracing emotional connections, adding a poignant layer to his story. You could play his initial resistance to change as deeply rooted in his fear of appearing weak.
Rogue Choice: Scrooge as a Pisces (February 19 - March 20):
Sun in Pisces: As a Pisces, Scrooge would be imaginative, empathetic, and perhaps escapist. His miserly behavior might come from a deep sense of disillusionment with the harsh realities of life. Playing Scrooge with this in mind, his transformation would be about rediscovering hope, creativity, and compassion for others. His interactions with the spirits could be particularly vivid and emotional.
Moon in Pisces: A Pisces Moon would make Scrooge deeply intuitive and sensitive, with a rich inner world. His interactions with the spirits could be portrayed as profoundly emotional and transformative, emphasizing his journey from despair to enlightenment. You could play his cynicism as a defense mechanism against being overwhelmed by his own emotions.
Astrology and Historical Characters
Astrology isn't just useful for fictional characters—it can also be a fantastic tool for uncovering the characteristics of historical figures, especially when we don't have a lot of physical evidence about them. Take Henry VIII, for example. Imagine exploring his reign through the lens of his birth chart:
Henry VIII as a Cancer (June 28, 1491):
Sun in Cancer: Henry VIII, with his Sun in Cancer, would be deeply influenced by his emotions and his need for security. His well-documented issues with marriages and his obsession in getting a male heir could be driven by his Cancerian need for family and legacy. An actor might portray him as emotionally volatile, fiercely protective of his lineage, and deeply impacted by personal relationships, which is more juicy for an audience to witness than seeing an actor simply play rage or jealousy.
Moon in Cancer: With a Cancer Moon, Henry VIII would have an even stronger connection to his emotional world. His decisions, especially those concerning his wives and children, would be heavily influenced by his feelings. You could portray his often ruthless actions as stemming from a profound fear of betrayal and a desperate need for loyalty and stability.
By exploring historical characters through the lens of astrology, actors can add depth and authenticity to their performances, making these figures more relatable and human. Whether you're diving into a classic literary character like Scrooge or a historical giant like Henry VIII, astrology offers a rich and nuanced framework for understanding and embodying your roles.
So next time you’re preparing for a role, consider taking a peek at their natal chart, or creating your own! You might just discover a whole new dimension to your character!
Want to put this into practice in your own acting journey? Visit my coaching page here and sign up to a free discovery session!
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