A Fond Astro-Tribute to Aquarian James Spader: Uranian Eccentric
by Jude Cowell
James Spader 2007; smary9342@aol.com, CC BY-SA 2.0> https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; file no longer hosted by Flickr
"Venus sextile Neptune = Lover of the Universe," says astrologer Alan Oken, and for the highly talented James Spader, this artful, imaginative aspect is involved with his intensely passionate Venus-Pluto trine, all together a vastly creative trio of planets when yoked together in such a fashion. But there are other indications of creativity and inspiration shown in his natal horoscope which you may view, below, along with my study notes penned on.
But first, how about a few words from the man himself: from February 2022, here's an interview with James Spader, star of TV's globally popular The Blacklist, announcing Season 10 for the long-running show. And here's the exciting official trailer for The Blacklist, a TV series first airing the evening of September 23, 2013.
Now admittedly, we won't find a huge amount online about the actor's life other than a few YouTube video interviews as noted, above, but I did locate one with a few bio details for the curious: Seven Things You May Not Know About James Spader which mentions his two marriages (Victoria and Leslie) and his three sons.
So turning to Mr. Spader's AA-rated horoscope, shown below, and without being overly intrusive (I hope!), we see Sun, Chiron, and Mercury in the 5th house of Children and Creative Pursuits (Mercury conjunct 6th cusp but in process of entering 5th house - Placidus system - and the little one is close enough to 5th and represents young people wherever he/she is posited - in this case, Mercury is the puer = son).
James Todd Spader February 7, 1960 8:02 pm est Boston, Massachusetts; RR: AA; ASC 23Vir26; Midheaven 22Gemini16: Sun Aquarius-Moon Gemini: double Air = friendly, flippant, bright, progressive, witty, and idealistic:
A prominent feature of creativity is that James Spader's natal Sun in 5th house hints (in particular) at his having an offspring who attains fame or some other sort of recognition, yet for him this also shows, as do other natal placements, Spader's natural talent in any creative department he chooses. In fact, the actor expresses a fertile imagination, through his nearly unaspected Neptune (but for a wide sextile to artful Venus and a generational Neptune-Pluto sextile of mysticism), via acting with Scorpio linking his characters to intensity and to issues of betrayal, sex, the criminal underworld and/or tales of spies and surveillance. This sounds like his film Sex, Lies, and Videotape for which James Spader won Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival in 1989.
And for additional astro-notes of that nature, see lower right corner for more 'seduction, lies, and danger' which relate to his character Raymond Reddington in The Blacklist. This character is also described by his Career Point ('MC' = Midheaven) conjunct a publicity-seeking Moon in communicating, sparkling Gemini in the 10th house (World Stage). Plus, his Moon leads a Locomotive shape of planets determined on success, and there's Black Moon Lilith @19Gem54 in 9th house which adds issues of destruction, decay, and seduction to his acting roles.
Then with both his parents being teachers, we see Dad in the form of Saturn, in Saturn's own sign of no-nonsense Capricorn (an expert in his field?), and Moon (Mother) in Gemini, sign of teachers, writers, and manual dexterity which is helpful in the field of teaching and practicing Art.
Natal Sun Is Where We Shine and Chiron Is the Wounded Healer
Now besides the actor's closest applying aspect to natal Sun (personality, vitality; essence) being an opposition to quirky Uranus - behaving like a dramatic, romantic Leo (11th house), the two planets opposing one another across the Leo-AQ axis of Self-Will, there's an intriguing Sun-Chiron Conjunction which you may wish to read about. Meanwhile, see lower left corner for details on his Ascendant/Midheaven ruler Mercury, planet of communication and commerce, applying only once via an opposition to powerful Pluto Rx in Mercury-ruled, scientific Virgo. Among other things, this aspect suggests a fellow with 'extreme curiosity about other people's secrets' - again suggesting some of his film and TV roles.
Ascendant Conjunct North Node of Public Contact: It's Only Natural!
North Node rising indicates a life destined to be lived in the public eye, but also one whose quest includes a search for identity (as thespians often do via their acting roles), and we see rising the Uranus-Neptune midpoint (@29Vir05) which seems fortuitous since the Prenatal Solar Eclipse Saros Series that little James was born into is the gentle 16 North right there penned into the first house of Self. 16 North is the 'Uranus-Neptune' series which provides the gift of illumination and creative insight drifting up from the Unconscious (B. Brady) - and with deeply creative Pluto in his 12th house of the Unconscious. In other words, Mr. Spader possesses a never-ending supply of creative ideas that can be acted upon.
To view an unsullied-by-my-notations image of his natal chart, visit astro.com. And compare his chart with the triple Taurus horoscope of actress Andie MacDowell, if you wish.
So as noted, there are other indications of talent in James Spader's natal chart, plus, an attraction to 'New Age' philosophies and interests in social concerns, yet his Uranus-Neptune eclipse has given James Spader the creative inspiration that has thrilled and fascinated audiences - the Collective! - since his acting career began, and will continue to do so as long as he so desires to use these energies in such a way. With service an important factor in his life (ex: Vertex in the 6th house of Service, Work, and Pets!), acting is a good choice since actors must work with others to produce creative content such as film and TV.
In closing, here's a curious factoid: a 16 North eclipse last manifested on November 3, 2013 @11Scorpio - conjunct and activatinig his creative Neptune (see lower right corner!) and during the very year that The Black List premiered on September 23rd with transit Saturn in intense, brooding Scorpio sitting directly upon that same Neptune, and adding structure, consolidation, and organizing ability to creative projects!
