Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Orange is my new favorite color!



As soon as I start to like anything, I go straight for the astrological charts of everyone involved. The Netflix original series Orange Is The New Black is no exception. I like to know what makes movies and TV shows successful, and what makes the people behind those productions tick. I like to see if there are similarities in the charts of the actors, and why the writers and executive producers and actors click. This is the second series from Jenji Kohan. Her first, Weeds, put her on the map and was a huge hit for Showtime. Since I've made a couple of films and television shows, I'm gonna lay this out like I would put together a film. I start with the brains behind it all, although it was based on the real life exploits of Piper Kerman- we will do her chart in another blog, this will focus on the show itself. And the mother of the child we now know as Orange, Jenji Kohan.

I looked up Jenji's chart last night, although I don't have her birth time. I wish I did, and if anyone has it, please give it up! I wasn't surprised at what I found. She is a Cancer with her moon in Aries and her Mercury in Gemini. Let me share something about Cancers and the entertainment business: They rule it! There is no other sign that I find in more charts of superstars in this business, yes more than Leo. Although Leo and Scorpio run a close second. What that means is that if you are a Cancer or have a Cancer moon or rising, or Mars in Cancer, you have a leg up! Jenji's Moon sits in Aries conjunct the asteroid Chiron, indicating a person who is extremely sensitive and empathic. Add to that a Sun in Cancer, which squares (agitates or activates) her Moon in Aries, and you have a person who is compelled to take action when it comes to her feelings, which are a result of her thoughts. Her Mercury (communication) is in Gemini, so she is quick-witted, funny, charming and verbally adept. Add to that her Uranus (ruling television, the internet and innovative thinking) conjunct Jupiter (luck, growth, expansion). The bottom line is, she’s an interesting, innovative, empathetic writer with a knack for kooky characters that will come to life through television or the internet. 

Her lead, Piper Chapman, is played by Taylor Schilling. Taylor is a Leo (just like Jenji's Weeds star Mary Louise Parker). Jenji likes her Leo leading ladies. But Taylor's chart shows her to be much more accessible to Jenji than MLP, because Taylor has what I mentioned earlier that every superstar in Hollywood has: a major planet in Cancer. Taylor's Moon is in the water sign Cancer and that combination has SUPERSTAR written all over it! Other actors who have that combination, either just like Taylor’s or reversed, include Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Halle Berry, Forrest Whittaker, Sean Penn and Mae West. Some major directors do too, like Christopher Nolan.


It's pretty clear by their charts that these two are totally in sync. Add to the mix Laura Prepon, who plays Alex Vause, Pipers ex-lover and current cell mate. Prepon is a Pisces with her Moon in Scorpio. Prepon embodies sex on a stick: Her smile could melt ice on a January day in NYC. She's sexy while Schilling is accessible and beautiful. And their charts show a great deal of chemistry, with Prepon's Moon and Uranus in Scorpio conjoint Schilling’s Mars (really exciting sex), and it all trines (good connection) Schilling’s moon. But guess who else she has chemistry with? (Sorry, lesbians.) Jason Biggs, who plays Larry Bloom, Piper's current fiance'. He is a Taurus with his Moon in Cancer,  what great casting. He and Schilling connect in a very familial way. They feel nurtured by each other. But one of the biggest hurdles in their charts is the Mars/Saturn square. When these two planets are squaring each other, that means there is tension, and distance. Mars rules one’s aggressive nature, while Saturn is the daddy planet, the structure. One is limiting while the other wants to move forward. This is so interesting to me because it's exactly what is needed for these characters. Finally their Moon conjunct Moon in Cancer, the Moon's ruler is very bonding, and could cancel out everything! What's also quite eery and amazing at the same time is these are characters in a show, but as I'm doing their actual charts, these aspects in their charts match the aspects that are playing out in their characters on this dramatic show. THIS IS WHY I LOVE FICTION!  


But back to the similarities of people involved in the show. We have the other characters in the show, most notably Red, played by Kate Mulgrew, who is a Taurus, like Biggs. Mulgrew's Moon is in Leo and guess what else she has? Yep very strong Cancer planets, Jupiter and Uranus. It seems every character in this show has a strong Cancer or other water sign in their charts. Samira Wiley plays Poussey, Laverne Cox (whom I LOVE) plays Sophia, the transgendered woman, Dascha Polanco plays Diaz, and has such a lovely appeal, a very sweet face, I would bet money she has a ton of water signs in her chart. Yael Stone plays Lorna. I couldn’t find any birth information on them, which is a bummer. But I was able to dig up the chart of Natasha Lyonne, who plays Nicky. Lyonne will really shine with this role. Like Schilling and Biggs, her Moon is in Cancer. What all these actors will do with this show is be able to get to the emotional depths of their characters, they will all be able to access that part of the character that every good actor wants to do in their lifetime. Lyonne also has her Sun in Aries. Kohan’s Moon is in Aries. They will have a very good working relationship and together they will take Nicky places that no other EP and actor could. Lyonne also has several planets in Pisces, which makes her suck in the emotions of others. Her character will take on the emotions of other characters in this show, which will be this characters struggle. Look for some amazing scenes between her and Prepon, again Prepon has that Pisces/Scorpio mix, all emotion. Overall, OITNB will put Lyonne back in the spotlight where she belongs - she is an outstanding actress. And make Prepon's Alex Vause the hottest lesbian to hit the air since the L Words Shane, because all that water mixed with Scorpio, just oozes sexuality. And on a side note, Shane is a Capricorn with a Moon in Leo, and has very little water (although again Scorpio and Cancer) in her chart, quite the opposite of Prepon. Explaining why she embodied her Shane character so well, which looked good on the outside, yet emotionally her feelings were deeply buried, and truly not accessible. NOT like this cast, NOT like this cast AT ALL!

Orange was launched in July, the astrological month of Cancer. This show about women in prison is ruled by Cancer, the feminine. Most of the actors have a predominant Cancer planet in their chart, and if not Cancer then a strong water sign like Pisces or Scorpio. These water elements flow easily with each other.  This show was created and is being run by a Cancer. Jupiter, the planet of benevolence, growth, expansion and luck is transiting through Cancer right now, and right now we have a grand trine in water to support it, again with Saturn(Structure) in Scorpio and Neptune(dreams) in Pisces. What we have indeed is the universe supporting the creative energy of this show. The entire cast will FEEL this show, they will get along tremendously and give their emotional all to it! Even Jodie Foster, who is a Scorpio directed one of the episodes. No wonder, OITNB has become an instant hit and will be a success for everyone associated with it on every level. It appeals on an emotional level because of the consistent base of water signs of almost every person involved in it. And to top it all off, this show appeals to the country it was born into (a country ruled by Cancer), the good old United States of America.  

I would love to talk about this with you on the air and that's why I am currently doing a campaign to raise funds for an integrated talk show called Pure Pollino. Please go to my website or go to the Indiegogo Campaign page and contribute and then share with your family and friends. And thank you for your support!