The improbably good looking Jude Law is the unlikely casting but surprisingly good fit as Putin in The Wizard of the Kremlin due out this month. An adaptation of Giuliano da Empoli’s satirical novel about the political insanity of post-Soviet Russia, it concentrates on the break-up of the Soviet Union, Putin’s arrival, the Sochi Winter Olympics and the Russo-Ukrainian war of 2014.
A reviewer says: “Law may, on the surface, with the doe-eyes and the full lips, be too handsome to play Putin. But he has always channelled the kind of inner fury and flouncy petulance that makes his characterisation of Putin exquisite.”
Neither he nor the director Olivier Assayas has indicated any fears of personal repercussions from Moscow – “we weren’t looking for controversy for controversy’s sake”. The film is revealing about modern political life with Putin’s internet army behind masses of disinformation in the culture wars, and infiltrating the digital sphere with hysteria, rage and chaos to destabilise western democracies from within.
Jude Law born 29 December 1972 6am Lewisham, England, came to international fame with The Talented Mr Ripley, with further critical and commercial success in Cold Mountain, Closer, The Holiday, Sherlock Holmes. My favourite being Sorrentino’s The Young Pope.
He is a controlling and ambitious Capricorn Sun square Pluto in Libra; with a lucky Jupiter North Node in Capricorn square Uranus in Libra and maybe a late Libra Moon. His intelligent Saturn in Gemini opposes a lively Venus Mercury in Sagittarius. Plus an intensely determined and can-be-vindictive Mars in Scorpio which he could no doubt pull on for this role.
Tr Neptune opposes his Pluto through this year which may cause a tremor of anxiety; as might an insecure tr Uranus opposition his Mars over the launch this month. His Solar Arc Pluto will conjunct his Mars exact within six months which may also put the blockers on certain plans or make him feel trapped.
Putin, assuming 7 October 1952 birth chart, has a Libra Sun, Saturn, Neptune, Mercury in Libra – so there will be a degree of understanding from their shared strand of can-be-contrary Libra. Putin’s ruthless Mars in Sagittarius trine Pluto is also mirrored in diluted form by Jude Law’s Mars in Scorpio sextile Pluto.
Their relationship chart has a marked Jupiter opposition Pluto square Mars T square hinting at a tussle for the upper hand and an edge of toxic dislike. Tr Uranus will square the composite Jupiter from mid year onwards, so interesting to see if there is any reaction.
The director Olivier Assayas, 25 January 1955 11am Paris, is a Sun Aquarius with Moon Mercury in Aquarius opposition Pluto square Saturn, so a tough-minded, determined individual. His relationship chart with Putin also has a bitter-dislike, power-struggling composite Mars opposition Pluto – so no love lost there either.
Assayas does have a challenging tr Pluto conjunct his Sun in 2026/27; and an accident prone tr Saturn conjunct his Mars in Aries this December and a panicky tr Neptune conjunct his Mars in 2027 – not a progressive time for him to put it mildly.
Brave men – Putin does not strike anyone as having much of a sense of humour.