Denzel Washington, called the greatest actor of the 21st century by the New York Times recently, with Tom Hanks gushing: “He is our Brando. Nicholson. Olivier” has gone back to his roots. His early success off-Broadway was in Shakespeare and now he is starring in The Tragedy Of Macbeth along with Frances McDormand which is directed by her husband Joel Coen. It has a limited release and is available to stream on Apple TV+. Filmed in black and white, it is a stripped-down rendition of the play, and is tipped for Oscars.
Washington born 28 December 1954 12.09 am New York, with a preacher father and grew up with split parents. He was sent to military school in his teens which he said saved him from the streets and prison where many of his childhood friends ended up.
He’s had an illustrious and award-strewn career on stage and in movies with a settled near forty-year marriage and four children.
He has a sharp-witted, intelligent and communicative 3rd house Capricorn Sun conjunct the North Node and Mercury and his Aquarius Moon falls in the performing 5th house. Both his Sun and Moon are sparsely aspected. What dominates his chart is a creative Water Grand Trine of a lucky and adventurous Jupiter Uranus in Cancer in his career 10th house trine Venus Saturn in Scorpio trine Mars in Pisces. Such a Grand Trine will allow him to live in his own bubble giving him a detached feel. An unintegrated Sun can also be an island-unto-himself type, standing aloof; and an unaspected Moon can be disconnected from what’s going on around him.
His Jupiter Uranus is square Neptune which threw up a fair few successful types from 1954; and his Venus is in an intense and seductive square to Pluto – but with his Venus conjunct Saturn, he’s cool rather than passionate.
He’s on an upswing with tr Pluto opposing his Jupiter this year and next; and has a hurdle or two to climb in the next year or so with his Solar Arc Neptune conjunct his Sun and his Solar Arc Mars square his Pluto – but he’s not going to be retiring for a long while yet.
I mean who else could’ve pulled off Malcolm X like he did. And his Training Day movie performance was an outside the box well executed Oscar deserved treat. He picks his roles well.
Along with his no drama personal life, his legacy is solid.
A cool, understated Capricorn with enough Aqua to give him interest and flair.
A classy man.
Yes.
Wishing him good luck, too, Robert Jones, as he is that rare celebrity who uplifts with his talent ( all drama on-screen, none *off*).
His role as the angel in the remake of The Bishops Wife is one of my annual go-tos. Always get the magic tingle when he lands to Earth. This new production looks wonderful. Thanks to Marjorie for the heads up
Fascinating. I wonder if Maureen Lipman will weigh in on the Macbeth casting too.
Thank you for this!
I admire DW but I also find this post compelling because I was born exactly 14 days after him. It is fascinating to compare our charts. My Moon is logically in the opposite sign of Leo, in the 9th conjunct Pluto square Saturn. I do enjoy intense drama in all forms of high art and therefore am a huge fan of Macbeth. I can confirm the Water grand trine does make one at once acutely sensitive and able to detach from the world. My Mercury has moved on to 0 Aquarius conjunct Chiron. That conjunction and the Sun are opposite the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction. Neptune plays a key role in both our charts. It is in DW’s first house and my 10th, square Jupiter-Uranus and Chiron. That Chiron does not appear in the natal chart shown but in the 4th it would play a key role. His Libra Ascendant gives him a pleasing and soothing disposition. His Mars is exactly trine Saturn which would make his aggressiveness and inner strength well integrated. I am looking forward to seeing this version, and also Frances McDormand, but he will have a hard time convincing me he is a true villain.
Denzel has always been a class act. He has rarely put a foot wrong throughout his years as an actor. If anybody has
inherited the legacy left by Sidney Poiter, it is surely him. Whether it is Malcolm X, the haunted detective John Hobbes
or the embittered ex-slave Trip, he has been always been a compelling presence.
The new version of “Macbeth” looks wonderful. Early reviews suggest Denzel has given another memorable performance.
Good luck to him.