johnny depp, pictures, films, biography, life

Johnny Depp: Famous on his own terms

After many years of resisting commercial exploitation, Johnny Depp has

become a major bankable star with the release of the Pirates of the

Caribbean series. Beginning with his breakout role in Twenty-One Jump

Street, Johnny Depp has fought the Hollywood machine even though it

meant foregoing roles that would bring him great commercial success.

Instead he focused on smaller character roles where he could practice

the art of acting, aligning himself with quirky geniuses such as Tim

Burton and John Waters. After a lifetime of what he calls "hillbilly

rage," he has mellowed into a mature actor with a grown-up life that

includes family life with his children and long-term partner Vanessa

Paradis.

Depp's astrological chart shows that he was born with the Sun in

Gemini. Gemini is ruled by Mercury, and is the sign of the trickster,

the prankster, the messenger. Typically very communicative and verbal,

Geminis (or those born with Mercury prominent in their chart) can be

mercurial and adept at mimicry, able to slip in and out of roles

easily. Leo, the sign of rulership, is rising in his chart, showing

someone with a natural confidence and desire to be recognized and

appreciated.

Uranus, the planet of individuality and rebellion, conjuncts Mars (the

aggressive instinct) in Depp's first house of identity and

personality, a strong combination that tends to show reckless and

rebellious behavior. Uranus in the first house often shows someone who

is perceived as being "odd" or "strange," and this is certainly true

of Johnny Depp. He seems most comfortable playing characters whose

weirdness protects them from hurt and emotional pain (remember Edward

Scissorhands?).

Johnny Depp showed the Uranus/Mars combination from an early age; he

was a rebel in his teens, suffering self-mutilation as a child and

scrapes with the law and drug abuse by the age of fourteen. As a young

actor he was well known for bad behavior resulting from a lack of

respect for the studio process and the desire of Hollywood to turn him

into a commodity. As an adult, he has cut his own road to success in

films.

Johnny Depp has a Capricorn moon, identifying him as a serious

individual who craves material security as well as emotional

nurturing. Some interviewers have been surprised at Depp's desire to

continue the "Pirates" series, believing that he dislikes material

success, but he has stated clearly that this is NOT the case. What he

dislikes is having to be something other than who he is in order to be

successful. He clearly enjoys the fruits of fame, with homes in L.A.

and in the South of France, and his own island in the Caribbean. This

Capricorn Moon is primarily focused on business and outcome, while the

rest of his personality craves an outlet for his tremendous

creativity. This combination can sometimes lead to internal stress

between the artist and the businessman and we have certainly seen that

in Johnny Depp.

For many years, he worked so hard to stay out of the limelight that he

was virtually unnoticeable in films. But now, the regal nature of his

Leo ascendant is drawing him out into the public view, and

appropriately for a Leo, as a Pirate King.

The planets have been kind to Johnny Depp this year: a dance of

Jupiter (abundance, possibility and good fortune) over his natal Pluto

has increased his confidence (Jupiter) and opened up a new sense of

power for him (Pluto). At the same time, Jupiter has favorably

aspected Chiron (wounding and healing) in his chart, showing that old

wounds and painful memories are being healed now. This is a

combination of events that has put many of his old anxieties to rest

and is opening up new doorways for him. The trine of transiting Uranus

(originality) to Neptune (mystical and creative experiences) in Depp's

chart are enhancing the opening process and expanding his creativity

and helping him to speak with a new voice.

A strong Saturn transit will begin to affect Johnny Depp in the fall

and bring him a period of insecurity, but at his heart he is a hard

worker and will be able to overcome any difficulties through sheer

force of his will. Johnny Depp has learned to balance eccentricity

with stability, the true road to success. As he says, honoring Uranus

rising in his chart: "We should celebrate our individuality, not be