Will Smith has been having a bit of a breakdown lately. In the fall of 2021 he published his memoir and came out with a YouTube documentary called “The Best Shape of my Life” which also showed him writing the memoir and facing some emotionally painful memories and truths including the fact that he had considered suicide. And this week the breakdown spilled out in a very public way when he slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars for insulting his wife Jada Pinkett.
Smith was born under the Sun in Libra in a very tight opposition aspect (180 degrees) to Chiron in Aries. Chiron, a small planet with comet-like properties, was discovered in 1977 and is associated with wounding and healing. Often called the “wounded healer” (a name I personally dislike because of the negative connotations of a wounded psyche attempting to heal others instead of themselves), I think of Chiron as the “soul healer.” Chiron’s role is to expose old wounds when the psyche is prepared to digest and release the trauma – physical, mental or spiritual – that is held energetically in the body. When Chiron is strongly aspecting one of the personal planets or the Sun and Moon we are often hyper-sensitive and carrying a greater number of wounds from old traumas than the average person. (Not everyone with a strong Chiron aspect has experienced trauma, but the emotional hypersensitivity is present in any case.)
Chiron in Smith’s chart is in Aries, so between 2019 and 2021 or so transiting Chiron hit his natal Chiron. The Chironic wound in Aries is a wound to the ability to establish an identity. “Who am I?” is the question asked by Chiron in Aries, especially when it is opposite the Sun in Libra which seeks to establish relationship and is less concerned with Self. This requires a delicate balance in order to find that midpoint of personal satisfaction, and it doesn’t help that Saturn, the planet that shows where our limitations lie, is also in the sign of Aries.
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Smith’s chart shows that Gemini is rising at the cusp of the first house. Gemini can be a shapeshifter – there is a hunger for different experiences and an ability to take on different roles. This is obviously the perfect ascendant for an actor, but in a chart like Smith’s it can lead to an artificial facade with an interior that can feel lost. Smith’s Moon is in intense Scorpio – he feels deeply and is likely able to hold a grudge for quite a long time. A conjunction from Jupiter to Pluto often accompanies a personality with an intense need for control, and there are sometimes intense Plutonic experiences which require total transformation as a result of Jupiterian strongly held beliefs. In his memoir Smith admitted to “crafting a joyful exterior” in order to cover up the emotional pain.
Smith’s YouTube series “The Best Shape of My Life” contains some poignant moments in which this pain leaks through the carefully crafted facade that we have seen in his movies. With Saturn (repression and limitation) and Chiron (wounding and healing) both in Mars-ruled Aries, issues around self-preservation, frustration and anger are highlighted in his chart. It doesn’t help matters that Mars in his chart is singleton – it makes no major aspects to other planets in the chart other than an awkward quincunx (150 degree) aspect to Chiron. A singleton Mars isn’t supported by other planets – it’s like a schoolyard bully who sits alone with nowhere to vent his anger. And as we know, anger turned inward becomes depression and with Saturn retrograde in the natal chart that negative voice of Saturn tends to be internalized to a greater degree.
This week at the 2022 Oscar ceremony Will Smith unceremoniously slapped Chris Rock for an inappropriate (in my opinion) joke at Smith’s wife’s expense. This wasn’t the first time Rock had insulted Jada Pinkett, who suffers from alopecia, and Smith wasn’t having it. At the time, transiting Jupiter was exactly opposite Smith’s natal Jupiter which is an extremely liberating influence. Transiting Saturn squared his Moon, with Mars close behind, exacerbating his frustration, and Chris Rock was just the wrong person at the wrong time with his Mars conjunct Smith’s Uranus/Pluto conjunction.
I love the deep dives you do into personalities on the world stage. Thank you for your always concise and compassionate read on people goingthrough their experiences. I feel you are spot on in this analysis.
Thank you so much Leni! ❤️
Overall, I enjoyed this commentary and analysis. However, I take exception to your use of the word (he) “decked” him. It was a slap, that’s all. But you could clearly see how Will smith was in emotional distress.
When I used that word I believed it to be equivalent to the word slap. However, after reading your comment I looked it up and it does appear that to “deck him” means to knock someone to the floor and that certainly didn’t happen. Someone made the same comment on my facebook page so I’ll go ahead and change the word since it seems to detract from the message of the post.
That was brilliant lynn
Thank you T!
Another excellent post. Need I say more. You get to the point of the matter.
Chiron has definitely open the inner gate of light and helped the Holy Ghost. I actually painted twin holy ghost using oils with much detail.
I have Chiron in Aquarius, Libra, Gemini. And, mentally, physically Chiron has taken me through many experiences which now are complete.
Heal, forgive, forget and move on. Leave the baggage at the gate. No more sorrow, grief, exhausting tears, and physically emotional draining.
My roommate has Chiron in Leo (heart issues) and Gemini’s lung cancer. He’s a fighter though not easily to give up. Since Chiron in Aquarius I have shin, leg issues. I have South Node Taurus and have Scoliosis (taurus torso field). And the rest is HisStory. lol.
Astrology has help me to understand the Holy Ghost White/Black-energy and the parts it had to play whether I love it or not.
This Transformation that continues to happen to be experience is not easy. The hardest part is over (15 years worth). I’m sure everyone Transformation will be different or maybe the same I don’t have a clue in this moment.
Chiron, Pluto, Uranus, Saturn, Mars, takes us to the edge. As Alan Watts would say; ” Just wait a couple days, “this to should pass” and it does. lol.
Love Ter
Will’s Saturn is at the apex of what must be an uncomfortable Yod with a Moon/Neptune conjunction sextile the Jupiter/Pluto/Uranus conjunction. The Sun is pulled into that stellium as well, being only 4 degrees from Uranus, but out of sign. Sun/Uranus can certainly be unpredictable. Of note, transiting Neptune, soon to be conjunct Jupiter, is opposing the Virgo planets, surely blurring some boundaries. Transiting Chiron has also recently gone over the North Node of the moon – it would appear that this energy has been brewing for a while. And will be continuing, as Chiron inches toward its conjunction with natal Saturn, beginning in mid 2024. Transiting Saturn will make it to opposition to the Virgo planets in 2025. He’s got a lot to process and I pray for his journey.