|
After spinning
out of control for several years, Charlie Sheen, who shot to fame in movies
like Platoon (1986) and Wall Street (1987),
and made headlines for his drug escapades, seems quite content to have
found a safe and secure home on the successful TV show Spin City,
replacing Michael
J. Fox as its leading character. Sheen’s character, Charlie
Owen, mirrors his own history of addictive behavior and current struggle
to stay on a straight and narrow path.
Restless
and Critical
 It
might seem somewhat enigmatic that wild man Sheen (born on September 3,
1965, at 10:48 pm in New York City) has his Sun in sensitive, shy and
critical Virgo, a mutable earth sign symbolized by a young maiden holding
a sheaf of harvested corn. The Sun represents one’s ego identification
and self-expression, so its placement in this sign means that Sheen, like
most Virgos, is naturally productive and perfection-oriented. It also
means that this brilliant young actor is probably tougher on himself than
on others, trying to live up to almost impossible personal and professional
standards. Thus Sheen, a fun-loving actor on the outside, is probably
more reserved and sensitive on the inside than anyone would imagine, and
probably takes rejection and temporary setbacks more to heart than appearances
indicate.
Sheen’s
Ascendant (outward personality) is in Gemini, a mutable air sign that gives him
a witty, high-strung and somewhat detached persona. With versatile, communicative
Mercury ruling both his Gemini Ascendant and Virgo Sun, Sheen is not only
restless, but also has a way with words. Mercury’s position in expressive
and dramatic Leo in his chart emphasizes his creative drive and abilities.
In addition to being a talented actor, Sheen also wrote and published
the volume of poetry A Peace of My Mind in 1991. Mercury-ruled
individuals get bored rather easily, so as long as Sheen is occupied with
a meaningful, creative project, he is less likely to become involved in
the more judgmental and introverted side of his nature, which can be the
negative expression of his Virgo Sun.
If
You Play, You Pay
Though there
is a certain restraint and caution built into a Virgo Sun, its
conjunction with risk-taking Uranus and powerful, death-defying Pluto give an underlying
restlessness and need for thrilling adventures. When this is combined
with the self-critical tendencies mentioned above, it makes his efforts
to deal with personal problems take on a wild and sometimes dangerous
form. Even in his calmer moments, he probably seeks constant stimulation
and excitement. Moreover, each time he finds it, he has to go further
beyond the point he reached the last time, with no limit and no return
from pursuing it. Compulsive Pluto, god of the underworld, has lured him
on more than one occasion into doing things that later made him remorseful,
like striking his girlfriend and indulging in alcohol, drugs and call
girls he contacted through Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss.
The zodiac’s
authoritative taskmaster and planet of conscience, discipline and restriction,
Saturn, is in opposition (180 degrees) to the Sun-Uranus-Pluto conjunction,
meaning that each time Charlie Sheen strays, he pays. Sheen’s arrest on
assault and battery charges was Saturn’s way of telling him that his indiscretions
have consequences, and that he can only avoid those consequences by staying
straight. In fact, his father, actor Martin
Sheen, played the Saturnian role by turning him into the police
for violating his parole. As a result, Sheen went into rehab and, due
to Saturn’s hard-working persistence, has been clean and sober ever since.
Challenging
Transits Ahead
Though it
might seem Sheen has left his troubles behind him, transiting Pluto will
soon make a harsh, 90-degree square to his natal Uranus, Pluto and Saturn.
This tells us that the coming months could bring some tough challenges
that will test his resolve to walk a safer path.
Additionally,
transiting Uranus opposes his natal Mercury, and Neptune is passing Sheen’s
Midheaven at 8 degrees Aquarius, a point that transiting Uranus bombarded
at the time of his arrest and subsequent rehabilitation. In fact, once
Uranus crossed his Midheaven for the final time in November 1998, his
career was at a standstill. Then, as Neptune neared the Midheaven, he
was given the role in Spin City.
But such
Neptunian “gifts” always bring a measure of uncertainty, and he may be
waiting (even as you read this) to see whether the show will be renewed
by the network. If the show goes on, the weekly grind and pressure to
prove himself may be more challenging than he imagined. If the show is
canceled, the transformation of his career will take a new direction,
a direction that one hopes will move him further away from his troublesome
past.
|
