Alex's Asteroid Astrology

Actor James Earl Jones passed away on 9 September 2024, at the age of 93.  Jones was a member of the exclusive EGOT club, meaning he had won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award, but ironically, most people know him best from three roles where he never appears on camera:  as the voice of Darth Vader in the original “Star Wars” trilogy; the voice of Mufasa in Disney’s animated feature “The Lion King;” and as the voiceover announcer who for decades declaimed the tagline, “This is CNN” at the cable news network’s commercial breaks.  It was Jones’ basso profundo vocal range that set him apart from the competition, though his 6’2” height and substantial frame also gave the actor a stage presence and gravitas few could rival.

Jones performed extensively on Broadway and in other stage venues such as Shakespeare in the Park, and his onscreen work was praised in such classics as “Conan the Barbarian” (1982), “Matewan” (1987), “Coming to America” (1988), “Field of Dreams” (1989), “The Hunt for Red October” (1990), and “Cry, the Beloved Country” (1995).  He was nominated as Best Actor for “The Great White Hope” in 1970, and won an Academy Honorary Award for lifetime achievement in 2011.  Jones also won three Emmys, a Grammy and three Tonys; he last appeared onstage in 2017, and in film in 2021.

Born 17 January 1931 at 6:05 AM CST in Arkabutla, Mississippi (Rodden Rating B), James Earl Jones’ PNAs (Personal-Named Asteroids) fit the usual pattern, with these self-identifiers typically connected to the Sun, Moon, Ascendant or Mercury (as ruling the naming function).  Asteroid James 2335 at 25 Aquarius is semisquare to both the 12 Capricorn Moon and the 9 Capricorn Ascendant, while asteroid Jones 3152 at 6 Cancer exactly opposes Mercury at 6 Capricorn, also opposed the Moon and Ascendant.

Together, Mercury and James form a T-Square with asteroid Actor 12238 at 3 Libra, establishing Jones as an actor noted for his voice (Mercury).  Neptune at 5 Virgo, in sextile to James and trine Mercury, may help to explain Jones’ “invisibility,” as a performer best known for his offscreen contributions (Jones even refused a screen credit for the first two “Star Wars” films, which he considered “special effects” work, only relenting on the third installment, after the character had received such wide acclaim).

Asteroid Actor aligns with asteroids Academia 829 (for the Academy Award) and Nike 307 (Greek goddess of victory), both at 4 Libra, suggesting an eventual Oscar (Academia) win (Nike).  As well, Actor is trine to asteroid Skywalker 274020 at 11 Aquarius, named for the fictional “Star Wars” family that spawned both Luke Skywalker and his father Darth Vader, known in his youth as Anakin Skywalker.   Skywalker is also inconjunct asteroid James, giving Jones a personal connection to the role that made him immortal in cinema history.

Nike also reaches out to asteroid Gramme 2666 (for Grammy) at 12 Libra, a wide conjunction; to asteroid Emma 283 (for Emmy) at 14 Cancer in a wide square; and to asteroid Oskar 750 (for Oscar) at 3 Taurus, by inconjunct.  Oskar is also sesquiquadrate to asteroid Victoria 12 (Roman goddess of victory) at 20 Virgo, which is sextile to asteroid Toni (for Tony) at 22 Cancer.

James Earl Jones seems to have had a romantic connection of sorts to the play “Othello,” which he performed in the title role in several productions.  Both his actress wives played his stage wife Desdemona, perhaps no surprise when we see that asteroid Desdemona 666 at 9 Virgo is closely squared Venus, ruling romance and partnerships, at 10 Sagittarius.  Jones was married to costar Julienne Marie, whom he met on set in that role, in 1968; they divorced in 1972.   In 1982, he married Cecilia Hart, who starred as Desdemona opposite his Othello shortly after.  Their union lasted until her death in 2016.  Asteroid Julianna 816 (for Julienne) appears at 16 Gemini, in a T-Square with Desdemona and Venus, also squared asteroid Hera 103 at 23 Pisces, named for the Greek goddess of marriage.  Asteroid Cecily 605911 (for Cecilia) at 2 Aries is broadly conjunct Hera and trine Venus.

When James Earl Jones passed away on 9 September 2024, the Sun at 17 Virgo appears in a Grand Trine with two stationary asteroids, indicating a pivotal moment of change and transition.  The points involved are asteroid Osiris 1923, named for the Egyptian god of the dead, at 20 Capricorn, turning direct three days prior to Jones’ death; and asteroid Skywalker, representing his most famous role, which at 23 Taurus turned retrograde September 18^th, already at its station degree.

Jones’ PNAs were active with death indicators as well, with asteroid James at 22 Leo conjunct asteroid Actor at 27 Leo, both opposed asteroid Anubis 1912 at 19 Aquarius, named for the Egyptian deity governing funerary rites, in a Grand Cross with the stationary Skywalker and asteroid Rip at 26 Scorpio, which acts as a death indicator in the form of the acronym RIP, “Rest In Peace,” a common tombstone inscription.  Asteroid Jones at 29 Cancer exactly opposes Pluto, modern lord of death, at 29 Capricorn, also widely opposed the stationary Osiris.

Connections to the birth chart include transit asteroid Skywalker at 23 Taurus, which with Uranus at 27 Taurus (perhaps a nod to the futuristic “Star Wars” setting) conjoins a natal pairing of asteroids Lachesis 120 (named for the Greek Fate who determines the span of life) and Osiris at 25 and 27 Taurus (both points at station in the nativity; note also that Osiris is stationary both at birth and at death).  Transit Mercury at 0 Virgo opposes natal asteroid Requiem 2254 at 3 Pisces, bringing news (Mercury) of his death (with Requiem named for the funeral mass for the dead).  Transit Venus at 13 Libra was exactly opposed natal asteroid Atropos 273 at 13 Aries, named for the Greek Fate who severs the thread of life at death, perhaps reflecting Jones’ peaceful death at home. 

The transit Osiris station fell just six degrees shy of Jones’ natal Sun at 26 Capricorn, which it had been crisscrossing for much of the year.  Transit Pluto at 29 Capricorn also conjoined the natal Sun.  Transit Anubis at 19 Aquarius conjoins natal James at 25 Aquarius, more closely squared by transit Rip at 26 Scorpio.  Transit Requiem at 18 Gemini squares natal Anubis at 12 Pisces.

James Earl Jones was an acknowledged groundbreaker, pioneer and role model for African American actors (he was the first black actor to land a continuing role on a daytime soap, in 1965 for “As the World Turns”), described in his New York Times obituary as “one of America’s most versatile actors in a stage, film and television career.”  His voice will resonate forever – perhaps literally, with Jones granting approval for AI use of his Darth Vader voice after his death.