✦ Worshiped by the stars ~ the tragedy of fame ✦
The axes of fame – angular power in celebrity charts 🔥
*tw this post contains mentions of death, drug use, violence, and suicide.
I think those of us who could only wonder what the experience of being famous is like have a natural curiosity about those who have lived their lives in the spotlight.
They become almost mythic-like figures in the public sphere ~ untouchable, adored, and placed on pedestals of worship. The elevation and infatuation of celebrities feels like a 12H/Neptune sphere to me ~ being known (but never truly), mystery, obsession, confusion, projection, beauty and art. And this is only amplified when celebrities meet tragic or mysterious fates ~ like people still talking about how Princess Diana died almost 30 years on.
But recently I got curious thinking about celebrities who have died young, or under circumstances where their cause of death is hazy.
I analysed 21 celebrity charts to discuss the interplay of fame and power, beauty, obsession, and mystery.
Firstly, let’s talk about the celebrities I chose (here is a list):
☆ Amy Winehouse – died at 27 from accidental alcohol poisoning
☆ Marilyn Monroe – died at 36 from barbiturate overdoes
☆ Sinead O’Connor – died at 56 from COPD (though there was initial mystery surrounding her death, so I still included it)
☆ Princess Diana – died at 36 in a car accident
☆ Kurt Cobain – died at 27 by suicide (this is still highly debated)
☆ Aaliyah – died at 22 in a plane crash
☆ River Phoenix – died at 23 from an accidental drug overdoes
☆ Vincent Van Gogh – died at 37 from suicide
☆ Karen Carpenter – died at 32 from heart failure caused by anorexia
☆ Christina Grimmie – died at 22 by murder
☆ Sid Vicious – died at 21 from a heroine overdose
☆ Lil Peep – died at 21 from accidental drug overdose
☆ Tupac – died at 24 by murder (legally pending as solved)
☆ Jimi Hendrix – died at 27 from asphyxia after choking while intoxicated on barbiturates
☆ Elliot Smith – died at 34 (this one’s still a mystery)
☆ Lisa Lopes – died at 30 in a car accident
☆ Elvis Presley – died at 42 due to cardiac arrest (thought to be attributed to drug abuse)
☆ Edgar Allen Poe – died at 40 (multiple conspiracies surrounding death)
☆ Jim Morrison – died at 27 (found in bath unresponsive – lots of speculation)
☆ Nicole Brown Simpson – died at 35 by murder (unsolved)
☆ Michael Jackson – died at 50 of intoxication
Every celebrity on this list has been highly worshiped or empathised with, or had mass public interest in their death ~ they have also had speculation and conspiracies surrounding their deaths.
When I pulled their charts, I noticed in 19 of the 21 charts the angular axes fell along Leo/Aquarius (fixed) or Gemini/Sagittarius (mutable) as either the Ascendant/Descendant or Midheaven/IC.
In astrology, the angular houses are the 1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th. These are the most activated and powerful houses of the birth chart. They are also cardinal houses or houses of initiation.
*I have also seen people debate whether stating they are the most “visible” houses is correct as the 4th is more private, but I would still say the angle marks visibility to the 10th by acting as the foundation or support for public perception.
☆ 1st house cusp = ascendant – the self-image
☆ 7th house cusp = descendant – how the native relates to others
☆ 10th house cusp = midheaven – the public image
☆ 4th house cusp = IC – the natives’ inner aspects of the self
Basically, there are relational differences across ac/dc, and public/private differences across MC/IC.
☆ If we take Marilyn Monroe as the perfect example of a Leo ac/Aqua dc, she captivated the world. She was charming, regal, and charismatic. She was a performer, a symbol of glamour and femininity. Here Leo is not just concerned with getting attention, they want to be remembered and honoured. She was also polarising and had many notable struggles with interpersonal relationships. This is seen with her Aqua dc; her private and public life became widely consumable media for the collective.
☆ Princess Diana had a Sagittarius ac/Gemini dc. I think this is why she was the “people’s princess” ~ she had a great humanitarian aspect about her and is known for being attentive and compassionate. On the other hand, her life was extremely curated and stories about her circulated constantly (rumours and gossip etc, even conspiracies surrounding her death). She was also intensely harassed by the paparazzi (a mercurial field).
☆ Kurt Cobain had a Gemini MC/Sag IC. He was known for his voice and song writing, but also multifaceted nature (Gemini as the twins or two faces). He was extremely anti-establishment, and the nature of his Sag IC suggests this ~ restless and seeking truth or meaning in his private life.
☆ Edgar Allan Poe was a Leo MC/Aqua IC. I mean, do we have a bigger icon?? In classic Leo fashion he shaped an entire genre of storytelling. He is a symbol of gothic horror. He also had intense struggles with personal relationships, detachment and instability (aqua IC).
Using these examples, we see themes emerge between how these celebrities are seen and perceived:
· between Leo/Aqua - mass public consumption and a polarisation between adoration/projection and interest/critique.
· between Gemini/Sag - narrative construction and a polarisation between truth-seeking/scrutiny and meaning/belief.
But I didn’t stop here ~ I also looked at planets in the angular houses and themes arising between charts.
Firstly, I found between the 21 charts, the 10H was the dominant angular house having the most planets here. These planets were predominately the Sun, Mercury, Mars, and Saturn.
· Sun in the 10th house are ambitious and power-driven. They can be very successful and well-known. They can be perceived as naturally confident thus their identity is also very open to scrutiny.
· Mercury in the 10th can be perceived as very adaptable and have the ability to change their career often or wear many faces, making them good at networking. They can also come across as deceptive or selfish.
· Mars in the 10th house are perceived as driven and energetic, and though they may have confidence and surety in themselves, this placement leaves them open to scrutiny for being perceived as demanding. They can also encounter a lot of conflict (especially with authority or others).
· Saturn in the 10th house are perceived as independent and successful. They may have worked hard over a long time to gain their reputation. This placement can lead to burn out and feelings of extreme pressure if others assume they can handle more than they really can.
I also found out of the 19 charts with either a Gemini/Sag or Leo/Aqua axis, 18 had the planetary ruler of at least one of their angular points in an angular house ~
Basically, there is strong activation of the angular energies and themes I stated above playing out in these celebrities’ charts. These all correlate with their personal expressions, public and private events, perception, performance and popularity, and their careers. The expression of these planets are forced into visibility.
⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆⋆☾⋆⁺₊⋆
Out of the 19 charts, 12 had their Moon aspected by Pluto or Neptune (I only counted conjunctions, oppositions, or squares).
I wanted to analyse the Moon as a source of fame, popularity and the emotional reactions ones Moon placement can bring about in others. In this context Neptune is related to the arts ~ but also mystery, projection, and illusion. Pluto is related to power, obsession, and profound crises.
· Amy Winehouse had her Sagittarius Moon conjunct Neptune in the 7th house. Amy related to others because of her emotional depth. Her art was heartbreaking and she had a transcendent voice. But she had her personal struggles amplified by the voice of others often and she was exploited. A lot of people also projected their own ideals of her onto her.
· River Phoenix had his 7th house Taurus Moon opposite a 1st house Scorpio Neptune. He was very intensely charismatic and attracted people to him emotionally through his mysterious and sensitive demeanour. He was also a talented artist. Unfortunately, like Amy, he was very idealised.
· Karen Carpenter had Moon conjunct Pluto in the 3rd house. She was (and still is) very known for her powerful emotional expression through her music and voice (personally, I feel she has one of the most recognisable and beautiful voices ever). What is interesting about her is she was perceived as very soft spoken but had incredibly intense drive and was a perfectionist (masking her struggle with anorexia).
On a final note, 8 out of the 21 charts analysed overall had Moon in the 7th house (an angular house).
I thought this was an interesting point as 7th house Moons can be polarising because they can either be extremely popular with other people, or very unpopular. Projection from others is high with this Moon placement. And though the risk of scandal is higher for Moon in the 10th, I would still consider it a factor in the 7th due to this house’s relational nature.
Across the 21 celebrity charts I analysed, patterns emerged linking fame, obsession, mystery, idealisation and public perception.
The angular axes across Sag/Gemini and Aqua/Leo point to the tension between private and public life, the self and others, and how celebrities are perceived through the signs and their planetary rulers.
Moon house placement and aspects play a part too ~ I have always thought of the Moon as a source of popularity and fame through idealisation and projection of others ~ adorning them with lasting speculation and obsession long after their deaths.
