No matter how stable a relationship may be, when Pluto and Uranus come calling, it can bring huge instability and pressure upon a couple. Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis have been together as partners for 14 years and have 2 children. Press reports say that the atmosphere between the two has been strained, and the astrology backs these reports up.
Above is the composite chart for Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis. We have a sixth house composite Sun which can be quite tricky. It suggests a bit of an ego problem between the two and as the relationship develops, there can be the feeling that one partner is taking advantage of the other. The opposition to the ascendant shows the natural inclination to be together as a couple and people outside the relationship will see them as natural partnership as if they do really complement each other. This is a deep emotional union shown by the Sun’s opposition to Pluto, and Pluto’s conjunction to the Ascendant shows a transformational influence that has changed the lives of both Johnny and Vanessa in living together. They would have needed space to breathe, with Uranus opposing the Sun, but because of the jobs they have, this would not have been a problem. Neptune’s trine to the Sun shows an almost spiritual link between the two. This is truly lovely & sentimental almost sacrificial in nature, being able to drop everything for the love of person opposite. The Mercury/Venus Jupiter conjunction in the 5th house shows a warm, idealistic love and friendship which is very creative in it’s nature. The triple trine to the Midheaven shows the creative link to the film industry which brought them together. It also highlights children and a lovely and generous relationship to them, and the couple are the parents of a boy and a girl, Jack and Lily-Rose
They have Saturn in the 7th house opposite a first house Moon Mars conjunction. This is both good and bad all rolled into one. Saturn in the 7th house shows a permanence, binding them as one through thick and thin. Together they know that they have obligations to stay together, and parting would cause irreparable pain. Often even when a couple separate, the 7th house Saturn prevents them from splitting completely. Moon Mars in the first shows that the emotions between the two are demonstrably on display. If times are good the world around will know about it with displays of love shown to all. If times are bad the same will apply, and everyone will know that the relationship is in trouble. It is almost impossible to hide the feelings. The Moon and Mars together brings real emotion and love, and the physical side of the relationship will satisfy both. That emotion can turn to anger too. Any couple goes through difficult times, and these two will not be slow in raising their voices to each other if something is wrong. In opposition to Saturn, there can be the feeling that one is not in step with the other, but after 14 years together they should have worked out those issues by now.
The problems they have been facing I think go back to autumn 2009 when Saturn hit Pluto, Uranus and their composite ascendant in quick succession. At the same time, transiting Pluto was entering Capricorn, squaring the joint ascendant. Rumbles of discontent and a feeling of change would have been affecting them. I always see splits between couples as a wearing down process. One bad aspect won’t cause a break in a marriage or partnership, unless it is a newly formed one, where the emotional ties are not so deeply inbred. However if the outer planets continue to knock down walls one after the other, tricky aspect after tricky aspect, then they can act together as a joint demolition crew. After 2009, Pluto opposed their joint Midheaven in Feb 2010, Saturn passed over the ascendant in March 2010 in retrograde motion and then again in August 2010. During this period, transiting Uranus was making the first of three oppositions to it’s own position at 27 Virgo. Uranus opposing Uranus brings great instability. It then fully joined the party almost opposing the ascendant before moving retrograde and diving back into Pisces. There would have been a feeling in the Depp/Paradis household that all was seriously not well.
Moving forward to December 2010 and Pluto once again opposed the Midheaven. In March 2010, transiting Uranus fully opposed the ascendant for the first time. Uranus can be a relationship breaker, and brings rebellious thoughts, thoughts of freedom and independence. In July, it moved to within a quarter of a degree of being square to the couple’s Midheaven. At the start of September Pluto squared the Midheaven too, before Saturn hit the couple’s Moon in October last year. If all the other problems were happening behind the scenes (Uranus and Pluto lie hidden in the 12th house), then this would have been the first public signs that all was not well. As well as being conjunct to the Moon, transiting Saturn was also opposing it’s own position in the 7th house of marriage. Bringing things to now, transiting Uranus has finally opposed the ascendant for the last time since Christmas and moved permanently into the couple’s 7th house, bringing that need for more independence as a more permanent feature in their relationship. I understand Johnny has bought a house independently, which sort of confirms this fact.
To how this will play out, I am not so sure. Together Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis have a very strong composite chart which will bind them together despite all the problems. Maybe they need some space for the time being, indicated by Uranus, but splitting permanently will be very hard to do, and could be very hurtful with the planetary set-up they have. There is a lot of love there, and they are and will be very much devoted to each other, and I am sure to their children. I hope they can find some sort of solution despite all the press speculation. They need each other, and I am sure deep down they truly know it.
Johnny Depp – 9th June 1963 at 08.44 in Owensboro, Kentucky, USA
Vanessa Paradis – 22nd December 1972 at 05.20 in Saint Maur des Fosses, France
