Noel Clarke, the powerhouse actor, writer, producer, director, who won this year’s outstanding BAFTA for his contribution to British cinema, is a wonderful example of where talent and driving determination can break down barriers and overcome obstacles.
Born 6 December 1975 4.40pm London, in a council house in Nottinghill, brought up by a nurse single mother, he wanted to be an actor but didn’t know how. A stint at an acting school landed him a Royal Court role for which he won the Laurence Olivier Award for ‘Most Promising Newcomer’. Then because of the lack of opportunities for black actors he started writing and broke into the big screen with his successful Hood trilogy, in which he starred, directed and was the writer, picking up a BAFTA Rising Star Award in 2009 along the way. Since then, he has founded a production company, Unstoppable Entertainment, alongside Jason Maza which produced the Sky hit series Bulletproof, in which he stars, now aiming for its fourth series and 10 other feature films.
His speech at BAFTA this year dedicated his award to ‘the under-represented’, making clear his intention to continue diversifying the industry. In an interview recently he said racial prejudice doesn’t make him angry any more. “Anger gets in the way of getting things done. Now someone puts up a wall in front of me and I think, where do I hire a bulldozer?”
“Going through this industry as a person of colour, there is a lack of respect and opportunities. You have to achieve 10 times more than other people to be considered near their level. I have won awards that would open a shitload of doors if I fitted the cookie-cutter mould.”
He has a hard-working 6th house Sun Neptune and Mercury in Sagittarius trine Jupiter in pro-active Aries and widely trine Saturn in Leo. A Fire Grand Trine is entrepreneurial and inspirational, has strong self-belief and faith in luck being there which it usually is, and leadership ability. The Grand Trine is even more potent being a Kite from Jupiter opposition Pluto, giving him courage and a double-dose of pushiness. As if that isn’t enough, he’s got an assertive Mars in Gemini on his Ascendant.
He has charming, imaginative Venus and innovative Uranus in his performing 5th house squaring onto Saturn in ambitious Leo in an emotionally-reserved opposition to an 8th house Capricorn Moon.
His writer’s 21st Harmonic and his actor’s 15th harmonic are both notable, as is his creative 7H, enduring 11H and breakthrough 13H. An all-round prodigious dynamo.
Add On: Sigh, another talent bites the dust. Testosterone plus arrogance and a more supine culture were never a good mix.
He has been suspended by Bafta “in light of the allegations of serious misconduct” in the Guardian from 20 women, all of whom knew Clarke in a professional capacity. He “vehemently” denies “any sexual misconduct or wrongdoing”.
Clarke does have that pushily confident Pluto opposition Jupiter which often appears in the charts of the successful since they are able to bulldoze ahead and assume rules and regulations don’t apply to them. He also has a can-be-autocratic Saturn square Uranus tied into his Moon and Venus. His birth time is from memory and I’d wonder about its accuracy. There is not much affecting the Midheaven/Ascendant or Solar Arc MC on this birth time at the moment. All that is showing is his Solar Arc Sun Neptune conjunct his Moon and then Solar Arc Sun opposition his Saturn in 2023. The Moon connection could be now if his birth time was considerably earlier in the day – indeed an early morning birth could bring tr Pluto conjunct his Moon.
When Kevin Spacey’s career went into freefall tr Pluto was conjunct his Solar Arc Midheaven and tr Uranus was conjunct his Moon with tr Saturn trine his Moon. That was also on a ‘from memory’ birth time but seems more feasible. Weinstein’s downfall came with tr Saturn conjunct his Solar Arc Neptune and tr Pluto square his Saturn/Neptune midpoint and square his Saturn/Jupiter midpoint.
It’s difficult to see any road back for Clarke, though he has some Jupiterian cheer after mid this year. Ahead is exceptionally troubled as his Solar Arc Sun Neptune continues to hard aspect his Moon Saturn Venus Uranus T Square – which was always going to bring a crisis or rolling series thereof for several years ahead. And 2023 has the panicky-failure tr Neptune square his Mars.
Well, I suppose we must wait and see what the accusations are in full. It is very disappointing and unsettling if they are true. I noticed the solar eclipse on 10th June opposes his Mercury, while the solar eclipse of 3rd December is conjunct his Sun just before his birthday. He is denying the accusations at the moment, and may not think he has crossed a line in the way he’s behaved – something he has in common with many men – particularly successful and/or talented ones. It’s that sense of entitlement again. That was completely “normal” in our society until very recently, as all women know. It still is accepted in many cultures today, and remains hard to challenge effectively everywhere.
Ryan Giggs, a great sporting talent, has been accused of assault and domestic abuse this week. Like Noel Clarke, he’s another Sagittarian man with a late Capricorn Moon (29th November, 1973). I think this is an awkward mix, and the restrained emotions of that Capricorn Moon don’t sit too well with a Sagittarian Sun. However, he also has a volatile cardinal t-square with Mars opposing Uranus, square Venus. Pluto’s transit to that pattern is writ large already.
I’m wondering if NC has Cancer rising – his face is round and quite feminine, it struck me. I was just taking note of the anaretic Moon and Venus square in NC’s chart and wondering about Cardinal energy in successful men general, and thought it interesting that Giggs also has that pattern. Btw, so does Woody Allen – if you look at his chart he has the same T Square as Giggs – Mars, Venus plus Uranus.
How interesting about the Cardinal stresses. Mars,Venus,Uranus would be creative and unpredictable, and could also indicate a wide range of sexual preferences I imagine. On the negative side, it would be capable of ignoring “rules” or boundaries. Or might even have a need to ignore them.
Yes, I agree about his face VF, although I suppose Gemini rising might give similar qualities. His facial expressions when acting are subtle and fleeting, which is one of the things that makes him an excellent actor on film.
And thanks Jay, I have read that Guardian piece. It is damning I agree, and I have absolutely no reason to doubt these women. I have experienced more than enough of this kind of behaviour myself – it has been everywhere for a very long time. I am just uncomfortable with trial by media that’s all.
Also I am curious about what may lay behind the timing of this. As with other stories of this kind, there must have been industry gossip for a long time before someone decided to take cohesive action. Noel Clarke has been successful for quite a while. If this is his pattern of behaviour, as it would appear to be, then there are likely to be more allegations, and more women who received those unwanted anatomical photos…..NC has just had the Saturn opposition Saturn transit to his natal chart. So it would be interesting to know what happened at other points in his Saturn cycle.
I worked in an Arts centre and gallery in my 20s Jane and boy, when I recall the behaviour we had to put up with I shudder. One really serious creep who was given free rein to commit daily, and I mean daily assaults on we women in plain sight. This was the early 90s and it was a grim time for women and girls in the workplace. Men have absolutely no idea what we go through.
What I meant to add was that the entire organisation from the top down knew about this man’s behaviour and turned a blind eye.
Yes, sadly, that’s how it was for years. I once worked for a man who rang me on the office internal phone and said “I’ve booked a hotel room – you can join me there at lunchtime…!” We had never even been out for a coffee…..I turned him down, and he then made my working life hell until I resigned from a job I loved. Nobody did anything. The unwanted shoulder and waist grabs etc etc continued as well. Anyway, men do or did know they just did not have the courage to say anything. For me, and most of us, these predatory men were all senior and people’s jobs depended on them. So many of them out there, yet I know there are lovely men too. They just need to speak up a bit more, even now.
‘For me, and most of us, these predatory men were all senior and people’s jobs depended on them. So many of them out there, yet I know there are lovely men too. They just need to speak up a bit more, even now.’
Yes, I’ve been very disappointed with how few men speak out about this. But not surprised either. Even those men in the public eye saying something in their masse would help a LOT. We women can rage and expose as many men as we can and we seem to be making a little headway. But toxic masculinity is about impressing other men and if other men who were not like this turned around and spoke out about it and shamed these vile men, I think this disgusting toxic misogyny would start to shrivel up a lot faster. Until then, why would they speak out when the system benefits them?
Are they scared of being subjected to misogynistic language like being called, ‘a pussy, weak-minded man, hen-pecked by women, useless, faggot, poof, gay, etc.?’ If I were a man with the mind of ‘Jo’ I would be happy to take the backlash. I’d be saying, ‘call me all the homophobic, misogynistic language under the sun. I don’t live for your toxic approval. If I ever do get your approval, I’m doing something very seriously wrong. So bring it on you worthless excrement!.’ I think it’s going to be some time before men in their masses wake up and say something. In the meantime, we will just have to like it and lump it while being subjected to terms as ‘fugly feminazis’ who deserve to be raped to understand our place in the patriarchal pecking order.
One author whom I recommend men to read if they dare (as well as women, of course) is Laura Bates. She has written books like ‘Everyday Sexism,’ and ‘Men Who Hate Women.’ They expose the vile misogyny that the vast majority of women have to put up with every day of their lives. She has been subjected to a constant barrage of rape and death threats by men who are hacked off at her audacity claiming she is lying. Rape and death threats kind of proves her point that disgusting misogyny exists though doesn’t it? Bloody idiots.
This Guardian article fairly comprehensively covers everything levied against him. There are a lot of accusations. Trial by media is unfair, but it doesn’t look good for him, I must say.
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/apr/29/actor-noel-clarke-accused-of-groping-harassment-and-bullying-by-20-women
Excellent question GN, and the entertainment industries definitely attract people who want to be ‘seen’ and validated, and as you say, almost as if that will fix it? Mostly unconscious to the fact that the journey there might bring all other types of traumatising/dehumanising experiences, and even if they get ‘there’, will their ego handle it?
Unfortunately talent isn’t just limited to the ‘good guy,’ it envelops all types of people. I am reluctant to cast aspersions as nothing has been proved in a court of law. But if he has been found guilty of this sort of behaviour – then he most definitely needs his comeuppance.
Although I am not published, I once belonged to an organisation for cartoonists and writers that wanted to admit those still in prison. As it wasn’t obvious what sort of crimes the individuals had committed, I objected. Sadly, I don’t know the outcome of that particular dilemma. But as nobody goes to prison for minor crimes these days, I reckon I was right to object, at least to protect those members that were under-age.
“The Grand Trine is even more potent being a Kite from Jupiter opposition Pluto, giving him courage and a double-dose of pushiness. As if that isn’t enough, he’s got an assertive Mars in Gemini on his Ascendant.”
Unfortunately, this guy is now in the middle of a sexual harassment, bullying, groping scandal. What a shame. I can’t help but look at his aspects in a different way now.
Sad, the latest news now emerging. Why do so many talented people feel the need to abuse their position in order to exploit others – and thus ruin their own reputation? Who can ever feel safe working in the creative industries?
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/apr/29/actor-noel-clarke-accused-of-groping-harassment-and-bullying-by-20-women
Maybe the question to consider is “Why do so many broken people feel that achieving outer success will fix their inner unhappiness?”
I love his statement about obstacles and his mentality hence his actions! Challenges are opportunities to get creative. A shining beacon.
Thanks Majorie for this,I’ve always admired his work.