Benedict Cumberbatch

What a year it has been for Benedict Cumberbatch!  Ups and downs (mainly ups) culminating yesterday in the announcement that he had a newborn son, and a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

His Birth Chart

He has a strong chart, with many interesting features.  His Ascendant in Libra (he was born at Noon) conjuncts Pluto exactly, hence he plays strongly dramatic roles – nothing wishy washy about them.  His marked talent in his career is shown by the Part of Fortune exactly conjunct his Midheaven.  He is able to convey woundedness, with Chiron conjunct the Moon and square his Mercury, and Venus exactly conjunct Saturn.  Neptune sextile his Ascendant gives him the ability for the nuance and subtlety of great acting, and the North Node trine his Midheaven marks him out for a karmically studded career path.

Imitation Game

Benedict Cumberbatch comes from an acting family (his mother Wanda Ventham was frequently on television in the 1970s and 1980s).  He came to public notice with the first series of “Sherlock” in 2010.  On 28/11/14 the film “The Imitation Game” was released.  With transiting Mars trine his Jupiter and Saturn trine his natal Sun it was a solid success, and yet as fate would have it, failing to win him the big film awards, such as the Oscars.  He had himself previously played Stephen Hawking, but Eddie Redmayne’s film The Theory of Everything was released soon after, and he took the trophies.

The Imitation Game enabled him to promote the cause of Alan Turing, the subject of the film, who cracked the Enigma Code in the 2nd World War.  Alan Turing had a profound exact conjunction of Venus conjunct Pluto (emotional turbulence) in Gemini the sign of Codes, which encompasses two of the elements his life is known for.  Benedict Cumberbatch has his Chiron (wounded healer) exactly sextile Alan Turing’s Sun (and is therefore able to bring some healing to Alan Turing’s issues posthumously).  In January Cumberbatch helped the plea for pardon for gay men convicted in Alan Turing’s era.

Sophie Hunter

Benedict was engaged in early November to Sophie Hunter, and they were married on Valentine’s Day this year.  In their synastry (astrological compatibility) his Jupiter is exactly sextile her Sun,  his Neptune exactly trine her natal Mercury, her Venus on his Descendant (marriage point) and their Suns are almost exactly trine.  That is a very good match, though not all plain sailing: there are a couple of significant squares between them.

Richard III

Benedict Cumberbatch is distantly related to King Richard III, who was unearthed and reburied in Leicester.  At the reburial (26/3/15), Benedict read a poem by Carol Ann Duffy, the poet Laureate.  Believe it or not, there is a deep dynastic connection shown by Benedict’s Pluto exactly conjunct Richard III’s Sun.  Furthermore, there is an extraordinarily deep connection altogether (please excuse the hyperbole):

Their Plutos  are exactly sextile,  Richard III’s Pluto is exactly sextile Cumberbatch Ascendant, and his Pluto exactly squares Cumberbatch’s Nodal Axis (a group karmic purpose).  Finally, one of the closest personal karmic ties two people can have: Richard III’s Ascendant conjunct exactly Benedict’s North Node.

The moving words spoken bear repeating:

“…Describe my soul
as incense, votive, vanishing; your own
the same. Grant me the carving of my name.

…or I once dreamed of this, your future breath
in prayer for me, lost long, forever found;
or sensed you from the backstage of my death,
as kings glimpse shadows on a battleground.”

James Rhodes

He even found time to be a supportive friend this year.  James Rhodes was a childhood friend who suffered sexual abuse at his school, and was prevented for many years from publishing his memoirs about events of the past.  He was visibly supported by Benedict Cumberbatch, and finally won the right to write, in May.  Their tie is James Rhodes’ Pluto exactly conjunct Benedict Cumberbatch Ascendant.  At the time James Rhodes succeeded in his mission Pluto was sextile exactly his natal Sun.  For Benedict’s role  in this real life drama, Saturn was trine exactly by transit Cumberbatch’s natal Mercury (a role of commitment).

Baby and CBE

The baby news of his son’s birth was announced yesterday, the same day that the Queen’s Birthday Honours were announced revealing that he had received a CBE.  Venus was transiting his natal Venus/Saturn conjunction, softening the harshness of that, and bringing more love into his life with a Venus Return.  The Moon (representing parenthood) was exactly sextile his Midheaven, so the baby will make an emotional impact on his life.  The Moon sextile his Midheaven also represents public recognition.  Neptune is fine-tuning his destiny and character at the moment, forming a Grand Trine with his Midheaven (career) and North Node (karmic mission).  Jupiter trines Sophie Hunter’s Neptune at the moment, bringing her spiritual fulfilment.

Aspects

Today the Sun conjuncts Mars: it’s a busy busy day, and should generate enough fuel for the whole week (which is short of aspects generally).  You can get motivated today, especially for mental projects (Gemini), or light activities such as running and cycling.  It is good for focussing on puzzles, quizzes and codes – anything that requires mental fortitude and perseverance.  It is probably best for solitary challenges, as competition could produce disputes (the Mars effect) and sparks may ensue.  Don’t compare yourself to others, just concentrate on your own potential.  Healthwise, flare-ups and inflammations are possible.

In the early hours of tomorrow morning (Monday 15th) Saturn retrogrades into the sign of Scorpio from Sagittarius, so a slightly more serious note may creep into proceedings.  There may be loose ends to tie up from last year’s projects and challenges.  If you have benefited from Saturn’s recent foray into Sagittarius (which took place just before Christmas 2014), then you may feel a slight sense of loss with this move.  There are old issues to settle in connection with life cycles (hatches, matches and despatches) until Saturn re-enters Sagittarius on September 18th.  You may be waiting for results around insurances or probates, for instance.  Or the psychological shifts that accompany events such as birth may need to be processed.

On Tuesday (16th) lunchtime, you can focus your positive intent, as there is a New Moon at 25 degrees Gemini.  Again the focus is on the mental plane, and assists projects such as sales and business, writing and education.  Media wannabes too may get their big break of 5 minutes of fame.

So this week brings two pushes forward (Sun conjunct Mars, and the New Moon) and one step looking back (Saturn returning to Scorpio).  These will involve different issues most likely, so you may be surging forward in one or two areas of your life, and re-processing in another area.

Next Week: Cancerian Totems and Archetypes

The week in bullet points:

  • Today – energetic
  • Tomorrow – step back in time
  • Tuesday – new moves in the air
Date: Jun 14th, 2015 · Comments RSS · Tags: Celebrities · Film