Thursday, September 09, 2010

Astrological Twins ~ Tommy Lee Jones & Oliver Stone

In keeping with the times, back to a Virgo theme: astrological twins born in the USA on 15 September 1946, with Sun/Mercury in that sign: Movie actor Tommy Lee Jones and movie writer/director Oliver Stone. Cities and times of birth are the only differences in the two natal charts. Tommy Lee Jones was born in Texas, Oliver Stone in New York; Jones at 10:00 PM, Stone at 9:58 AM (Astrodatabank). Natal charts are shown together, below.



The two men are friends, and have collaborated professionally on three occasions to date, in the movies JFK, Heaven & Earth, and Natural Born Killers. It's not easy to detect, from on-line sources, whether their personalities, outside of professional life, are in any way similar. They are sharing a rather well-worn "crumpled" look in their later years.


Jones has the reputation of being difficult on set, critical and demanding of his fellow cast members (Virgo in action) and quite at ease playing "difficult" character pieces. Stone's movies are almost always controversial in one way or another, framed to provoke his audience and get them thinking. There's much political content, often critical (Virgo), in his films, describing the direct human consequences of national policy, in both halls of government, and in board rooms of corporate financiers.

Though now sporting that decidedly crumpled look, in his younger years Jones had a darkly handsome and mysterious attraction, probably thanks to a mix of Welsh and Native American genes. Until his more recent films, not directed by Stone, we hadn't seen his lighter side and feel he has for humour. This reflects his lighter Gemini, ascendant, as compared to Stone's heavier Scorpio rising.






Virgo Sun/Mercury reflects their shared critical nature. Both have Moon in Taurus, at different degrees, but in harmonious earthy trine to their Sun/Mercury. In Stone's case Moon lies in challenging square aspect to Pluto (planet of power) which connects to his anti-government stance; whereas Tommy Lee Jones' natal Moon, a few degrees further along in Taurus doesn't produce the same intense square. Both men's Sun/Mercury square Uranus - with rebellious Uranus spiking their otherwise practical, common sense Virgo/Taurus Sun/Moon mix.

(Right, Jones' characters from JFK and Natural Born Killers.)

Mars (war and energetic sports) and Jupiter (excess) are conjoined in both charts - in Jones' case this can be seen as connecting to his love of polo, a sport at which he excels. In Stone's case Jupiter/Mars in Libra, just a couple of degrees from his Scorpio ascendant (ruled by Mars, planet of war), connects to his determination to enlist in the army in 1967
(when he could easily have avoided the Vietnam war).
He specifically requested combat duty too, was later decorated for courage under fire (Bronze Star & Purple Heart), and returned to civilian life with a deep disgust for war, especially for the war in Vietnam.




I first saw Tommy Lee Jones long ago in the the lead role of TV mini-series, The Executioner's Song(not directed by Stone). He turned in a brilliant performance and has been a favourite ever since. His performance in another TV mini-series Lonesome Dove served to stengthen my opinion of him as an actor. I didn't enjoy him as much in Stone's JFK, declined to see him in Natural Born Killers because of its violence, and though I admired his acting in Heaven and Earth found the movie depressing, much more so than The Executioner's Song....which does seem rather strange.

After having seen both natal charts, I suspect my preference for Tommy Lee Jones' work, over Oliver Stone's is likely a result of Jones' Airy Gemini ascendant - which must strongly appeal to my Airy Aquarius Sun.
Though Stone's Watery Scorpio ascendant matches my natal Watery Cancer ascendant - but this doesn't work as well, or so it seems! I do agree with most of Stone's political views though, I'm just not keen on the way he presents them on screen.

So then, both astrological twins display a flair for presenting challenging and controversial topics and characters in uncompromising fashion. Both are critical by nature - one critical of his fellow actors, the other of the US political scene. Neither exactly matches the stereotypical Hollywood star or director.

Internet Movie Database
Tommy Lee Jones
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000169/
Oliver Stone
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000231/

2 comments:

Wisewebwoman said...

Very interesting summary, T. I am a fan of both of them and they are both equally good on the eye too ;^)

My father was a Virgo and critical to the day he died.

I had not realized this was a trait of Virgos (see how little I know -- that's why I come here!)

XO
WWW

Twilight said...

WWW ~~~ It's a pity we can't know more about their personalities outside of the professional sphere.
that would be VERY interesting.

Virgo-types can be critical - or, putting it a more positive light, discerning. An astrologer commenting on a message board, years ago, before I dared to blog, once said that Virgo (the sign) metaphorically represents winnowing wheat from chaff.
That sounds nicer than "critical", I guess, but in effect is the same thing. :-)