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In 1997,
Australian Geoffrey Rush won a Best Actor Oscar for his role as tortured
piano prodigy David Helfgott in Shine, and there's been
no stopping him since. In 1999, he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor
for Shakespeare in Love, and this year he's up for the Best
Actor Academy Award once more for his portrayal of the Marquis DeSade
in Quills.
 Rush
doesn't have the matinee idol looks his old Aussie housemate Mel
Gibson has, but he does have the many moods and sensitive nature
that gentle men of his sign Cancer are associated with. Rush has at
least four key planets (Sun, Mercury, Mars and Uranus) in the sign of
the deeply emotional Moon child. Cancers are known to be moody enough,
ruled by that old debbil Moon, but Rush has other "pulls" in
his chart that may at times make him feel crazier than the mad Marquis
himself! Lucky for him (and for us) he can work out his conflicts on film.
Where
to Focus His Feelings?
Rush has
a fascinating "t-square" in his chart that signifies a struggle
between three disparate parts of his nature. A t-square is a tense configuration
where two planets that are opposite, or 180 degrees from each other, both
make a 90-degree angle (called a square) to a third planet. A t-square
symbolizes friction between the things represented by the planets involved
in the formation. Geoffrey Rush's t-square involves his Jupiter (good
luck, expansion) in pioneering individualistic Aries opposite his dreamy,
imaginative, trippy Neptune in the artistic sign of Libra. These planets
are both square his Uranus (planet of bold, unconventional risks in the
name of progress) and Sun (his identity in the world), which are conjunct
in family-oriented Cancer.
The artistic
choices Rush has made reflect his eclectic sensibilities, which is probably
why he's so hard to typecast as an actor, but also why he's strong enough
to stay in the foreground as a leading man, not just a supporting "character"
actor. The connection between Rush’s Sun, representing self, and eccentric
Uranus shows both his strength and the difficulty casting directors may
have in pinning him down.
Certainly
Rush’s Sun-Uranus conjunction in Cancer is reflected in his role in Shine,
in which his character experiences a mental breakdown (in part) in reaction
to his father's cold and bizarre treatment. Cancer Suns are known for
their extreme parental attachment, and Rush's portrayal of David certainly
breaks our hearts by showing us the pain of a rejected son. Rush was probably
so adept at embodying those feelings and portraying David's angst because
of these Cancer planets in his own chart. He may have been on the receiving
end of his father's extreme demands (or at least super high standards
of achievement). His father, too, may have seen intellectual and heady
accomplishments as more important than allowing his sensitive son to just
be himself.
We can also
see part of Rush's t-square in the character of the Marquis in Quills.
The Marquis is certainly a fine example of Neptunian drug-like, dream-like,
over-sexualized wildness, symbolized by the connections between Rush’s
Sun (self), Neptune (getting lost in decadence) and Uranus (uncontrolled
nature). But from this wild self-indulgence (even if it's just the excess
that takes place in a madman's imagination) came great art. This is no
surprise, since Libra, the sign where Rush’s Neptune is found, is associated
with Venus, the planet of art.
Some of Rush's
more eclectic roles are associated with his bawdy Jupiter in bold Aries,
which forms the third “point” of the t-square in his chart. Rush has taken
on some surprisingly fun and fiery film roles in movies like Mystery
Men and The House on Haunted Hill. This is the hammy
part of Rush's chart, and we love it!
In addition,
Rush has an almost exact square between his Sun in familial Cancer and
expansive Jupiter in Aries (the lone wolf sign), which suggests that even
when he "breaks out" to work in a more frivolous film, his base
of loyal, family-like audience members is still ready and waiting for
him to return to his traditional role as interpreter of classic characters
in "classic"-feeling films. Some folks suffer from their t-squares
because the conflicting energies leave them immobilized, but Rush has
found a wonderful outlet for all the "mad" voices in his mind.
More
Success and Fulfillment Ahead
Jupiter,
the planet of luck, opportunities and expansion moves into Rush's sign
of Cancer this summer, and the good times keep rolling for him. First,
Jupiter hits Rush's Mars in July 2001, which could signify him taking
a risky role that pays off for him. It could be something macho and sexy
(these are Mars characteristics).
When Jupiter
hits his Uranus in late August, Rush may take a radical turn in his life
that is jarring but ultimately for the good. Since Jupiter expands what
it touches, and Uranus is the planet of rebellion, we’ll just have to
wait and see what happens.
Then in the
fall of 2001, Jupiter hits his Sun and in the summer of 2002, his Mercury,
which should be a fun time and one full of brilliant ideas (Mercury) for
the talented actor. Jupiter hitting Mercury could also help him to communicate
more with his family and experience the good results from putting his
deep feelings for them into words. Since Rush is a strong Cancer, feeling
good about his family is undoubtedly the key to his happiness and success
in the world.
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