In real life, Two and a Half Men star Charlie Sheen has much more intense relationships than his free-wheeling character portrayed on TV. Last Christmas he was arrested for threatening his wife, Brooke Mueller, with a knife, and this week the court will decide if they can get back together. Charlie's previous wife, actress Denise Richards, was just on Oprah to express her sympathy.
 
Charlie Sheen was born with his Sun in hard-working Virgo (September 3, 1965; 10:48 pm; New York, NY), where it's found in the fifth house of entertainment and romance. A Virgo Sun aspecting Saturn gives him the ambition and discipline to create his successful show, while the conjunction with Uranus describes how he's shaped an eccentric, carefree lifestyle based on his love life.
 
The Sun conjunct Pluto plus Mars in Scorpio suggest the hidden, darker side of Sheen's personality. His Mars squares Juno, showing how he must deal with intense arguments and confrontations within his marriage or committed relationships. When his progressed Mars entered his 7th house of partners in 1998, he was first arrested for a domestic dispute. And it's been trouble ever since.
 
Mars rules his 12th house of secret enemies and subconscious influences. Anger management is often appropriate in such cases, but since his progressed Mars is in the seventh house of others, he may attract partners who express an equal or even greater amount of violent tendencies. Charlie's current marriage will probably be temporarily saved by an ongoing progressed Venus-Mars conjunction, showing a genuine loving harmony behind the sensational headlines.

As winner of an Emmy, two Golden Globes, and  two Oscars, Jean Simmons well deserves her place as one of Hollywood's brightest stars. Born in London where she began acting at age 14, Simmons was spotted by RKO owner Howard Hughes who bought her contract in 1948. She went on to co-star with Hollywood's leading men in a career that spanned five decades.
 
Jean Simmons was born with her Sun in cool Aquarius (January 31, 1929; London, England; time unknown) at a position located at the midpoint between her Venus-Saturn square. The Venus influence is strengthened by its placement in Pisces, which adds all the grace, charm, and radiance that shine through her various roles. The Saturn influence represents the directors who recognized her beauty and talent.
 
Simmons' Mars at 21º Gemini is exactly conjunct the U.S. Mars. Small wonder, then, that she co-starred with the likes of Marlon Brando, Burt Lancaster, Robert Mitchum, Paul Newman, and Kirk Douglas – cinematic icons who personified the American archetypal hero. In Simmons' chart, Mars squares Venus and opposes Saturn, a dynamic that readily experiences romantic triangles and obstacles to lovers' fulfillment – and frequently dramatized in her film roles.
 
Simmons tangled with Howard Hughes in 1952, who wanted her for himself even though she had just married. When her husband intervened, Hughes swore to get even by casting her in terrible films. When she was slated for the film noir "Angel Face", Simmons excelled, receiving critical acclaim as one of the genre's most beautiful killers. At the time, transiting Pluto was opposing her Mercury, giving her keen insights into how to play this psychological thriller and overcome Howard Hughes at the same time.

Less than two weeks after the January 25 eclipse, Americans lost two well-known folk heroes and one Hollywood legend. In political astrology, Venus rules celebrities, so this may not be surprising since the eclipse was conjoined with Venus. Actress Jean Simmons died on January 22, while novelist J.D. Salinger and historian Howard Zinn both left us on January 27.
 
When comparing the eclipse degree (25º Capricorn) to the U.S. horoscope, the astrologer notes that it was closely aligned with the U.S. Mercury, the natural ruler of writers. J.D. Salinger (January 1, 1919; New York, NY; time unknown) was born during the New Moon in Capricorn opposite a Jupiter-Pluto conjunction. Although this combination made him intensely ambitious, after he became an overnight success with The Catcher in the Rye, Pluto took over and he became a recluse.
 
Howard Zinn (August 24, 1922; Brooklyn, NY; time unknown) was considered a radical* by many since he wrote the best-selling, counter-cultural text The People's History of the United States. His Mercury in analytical Virgo opposes Uranus, giving him a penchant for unusual views. Mercury also squares Mars, which in turn opposes the U.S. Mars, putting him at odds with the military establishment.
 
How curious that both writers should die on the same day! January 27 happened to be the day that transiting Neptune was conjunct the U.S. Moon. Both writers had Neptune closely aligned with the U.S. horoscope: Salinger's Neptune at 8º Leo formed an exact square to the U.S. Scorpio Ascendant, while Zinn's Neptune was right on the U.S. Midheaven. Both writers' imaginations (Neptune) re-shaped the American dream by revisioning its most popular myths.

* see http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/30/opinion/30herbert.html