I love my husband dearly, but our TV viewing habits tend to differ. While I opt for a murder mystery, a sappy, uplifting musical, or something on BritBox (current fave: Shakespeare & Hathaway – both silly and with murders!), my husband is usually picking out a music-themed documentary when he’s in charge of the TV. Recently, his picks have mostly been about 80’s hair bands which end up making me annoyed because there are zero females interviewed or acknowledged in their histories. (Seriously, would it kill these directors to find a woman to interview? A female music writer, promoter, a radio DJ, anything!)

So, when he recently picked VAL, the Val Kilmer documentary on Amazon Prime, I rolled my eyes and pulled out my phone to scroll through Twitter and Instagram. I enjoyed his movies but I didn’t think it would be a riveting tale. Wow, was I wrong. I didn’t expect to be fascinated by his story and the amazing self-shot videos chronicling what seemed like every moment of his life. It’s almost like he was born with a video camera in his hand. He definitely comes across as a sensitive artist, a bit of a tortured soul, and highly self-involved so I thought his chart would be an interesting case study.

SPOILER ALERT: I will touch on some of the major events from the movie in the analysis.

I found his birth information on Astrodatabank, and used Wikipedia as a backup source to the movie. This story from Taffy Brodesser-Akner in the New York Times in 2020 is long, but also provides a lot of fascinating insight into his thinking that mirrors what is in the film. Specifically, I was struck by this passage: ”Here’s the thing: Mark Twain, Kilmer’s favorite storyteller, thought that storytelling couldn’t (and shouldn’t) try to capture an entire life, to draw its arc, to determine its meaning. He was suspicious of the kind of autobiography that Ben Franklin had done. He thought it should just be a mishmash of remembrances told not even in the right order lest a person be tempted to force a story into a certain direction and make themselves a more sympathetic character than they deserve.”

It's intriguing because throughout the movie there is a distinct sense that he’s giving half the truth in any given situation and allowing us to only see what he wants us to see. A few writers have used the term “magical thinking” when describing his thought process which I see as that Saturnine control and Neptunian love of fantasy at work, for sure. (To Note: Pluto, the planet of transformation and ruler of his MC, is currently transiting over his ASC signaling dramatic changes and a destruction and rebuilding of the persona.).

OVERVIEW:

First, we see a chart with 8/10 planets on the east (I’m including Neptune as working for the 10th since it’s so close to the MC – more on that powerful placement in a bit) and 9/10 above the horizon. The focus here is building his own future, again reinforced by 7 planets also in the first quadrant of the chart.

**Distribution of planets, ASC/MC, and enclosed Leo/Aquarius**

A 16-point analysis shows a majority of Feminine Fixed Earth, corresponding to the sign Taurus, which is the ruler of his 4th house. We also see Venus and the Moon, rulers of Taurus by domicile and exaltation, in angular houses (Venus in 10 and the Moon in 1). This Taurus influence blends well with his Capricorn ASC, and throughout the film, there is an emphasis on his connection to his family and his “roots,” so to speak.

There is a given gravitas to him as well with the majority of planets in Fall and Winter signs, which also emphasizes the qualities of Capricorn, foresight and planning as a reaction to the future. And because of the time and latitude of his birth, we have house distortion, intercepting Aquarius and Leo, and putting Gemini and Sagittarius each on 2 houses. This distortion also puts the fellow earth signs on his 4th and 8th house cusps instead of on 5 & 9. To me, this adds a heaviness to his personality that can cause awkwardness in his personal relationships. The idea is that through earth on the 4th and 8th, he identifies more with his family (4) and self-transformation (8) than connecting with others through shared pleasure (5) and shared learning (9).

We’ll get more into the MC, but this distortion puts Scorpio on the MC instead of Libra, showing that he wants to be intensely involved with a specific group. (11th sign on the 10th house).

Also, as we go through the analysis of the ASC and MC, notice that all 10 planets are connected with both angles. This is unusual since most of us have only 3 or 4 planets connected to each, and it speaks to his strong motivation and drive. For someone with a relatively weak ASC, it can be difficult to constructively handle all of this competing energy. Having a cardinal sign with the rulers in domicile (Saturn) and honor of triplicity (Mars) is very beneficial.

ASCENDANT/ASC

His Ascendant (ASC) is 23° 34’ Capricorn and the 1st house completely encloses the sign Aquarius. In the analysis, we’ll need to examine the cusp plus Saturn, Mars and Uranus as rulers of his ASC by domicile and exaltation.

Venus sends a sextile to his ASC from his 10th house in Scorpio. This gives him a magnetism and sexual intensity that he’s used successfully in his career. Maverick from Top Gun and Jim Morrison in The Doors are just two examples of using that brooding intensity to bring these characters to life. This Venus is in detriment in the sign Scorpio, however, so all that pleasure will come with a bit of pain. Notice it’s ruler of his 4th house so there’s a sense that the emotional intensity growing up profoundly affected his career.

Saturn is in his 12th house in Capricorn in a razor-sharp conjunction with his Sun, and while not connected by aspect to the ASC, it’s very powerful in terms of coloring his personality. What you get is the impression of someone very private, very serious, and with a lot of willpower and perseverance. While Saturn is in honor of domicile, this placement can also make someone selfish, self-centered, and emotionally closed off to other people.

Neptune is also aspecting Saturn from the 10th in Scorpio, adding strong emotional sensitivity and sense of fantasy. We see how that plays out in his career and through his work in film, his love of painting, and videography, but Saturn and the Sun in the mix ensures he works to control what others see in relation to his private thoughts and actions (12th house). He’s probably quite touchy, which speaking of…

Scorpio’s other ruler, Pluto, is sending a trine to Saturn from his 8th in Virgo, again layering on the intensity but also now adding the idea of perfectionism and sharp criticism when provoked. The aspect to his ruler and his Sun means much of this is directed towards himself, but can contribute to his reputation of being difficult to work with.

I know the chart image makes it look like Mars is in the 11th, but I’d consider it working for his 12th house in Sagittarius, along with Mercury and Jupiter. It’s considered in honor of triplicity and notice it’s conjunct its dispositor, Jupiter in Sagittarius, which adds luck and good timing to his actions. There is also an impulsiveness, spiritual passion, and a love of risk-taking with this duo that I think accurately reflects some of his key life moments. This Mars is also conjunct Mercury in Sagittarius, coloring his thinking. There’s an independence and need to explore every facet of an idea or situation to better understand it. It adds a fertile imagination and exuberance as well, but can also make him idealistic and over-confident.

This Mars is also in a razor-sharp trine to Uranus is in his 7th, the third ruler of his ASC, uniting his actions with idealism and independent thinking. Mars here gives Uranus energy and enthusiasm, while Uranus gives Mars a sense of higher purpose and lofty ideals. This is a crusader, but can make him very impulsive and lacking in consideration for how his actions affect others.

**Aspects to Mars, Ruler of ASC by Exaltation**

This Uranus is enclosed in the sign Leo with the dispositor, the Sun, in the 12th conjunct Saturn. The word I think of with this combo is bravado. He’s confident and rebellious in public, disruptive in his actions and attitude. It’s a way for him to bring out his Sun from the 12th house, but in the end, people aren’t quite sure how to react so it’s possible he feels just as isolated as he was before.

Notice the trine aspects to both Mercury and Jupiter as well. The Mercury-Uranus combination can speed up his thinking and provide flashes of insight. His ideas may often seem “out there” but maybe he’s just 2 steps ahead of everyone else. Jupiter-Uranus gives faith and strong beliefs in humanitarian ideals, although in Sagittarius, there’s a tendency to exaggerate. Again, that magical thinking comment comes to mind.

It’s a little wide, but this Uranus is in a square with Venus as well, highlighting the relationship difficulties that appear to be prevalent in his personal life. Intimacy may be difficult for him because this aspect can give erratic behavior and intense emotional needs.

**Aspects to Uranus, Co-Ruler of ASC (enclosed Aquarius in the 1st House)**

Lastly, we need to look at that Moon in his 1st house enclosed in Aquarius when considering his ASC. As ruler of his 7th house, we get the sense that the public is drawn to him. That’s obviously very helpful in his acting career, but what is it he really craves? Freedom. With both the Sun and ruler of his ASC in the 12th, however, we see the struggle between obligation (Saturn/Capricorn) and independence (Aquarius). So, how does he get out of the “enclosure?” Through his Uranus and Saturn, the dispositors of the Moon. However, the placement of both planets repeats the push-pull pattern. That bold confidence and erratic behavior in public appears to contrast a private, hidden part of himself that feels the heavy burden of responsibility.

Another interesting combination is that through the aspects to the dispositors Saturn and Uranus, all the planets are connected to this Moon as well as the ASC. I’ve learned that since the Moon is considered a light planet (vs. heavy), it can be overwhelmed. This makes me think that sometimes reality might be just a little too much for him and he “escapes” into his 12th house of dreams/unconscious and the role(s) he plays in public.

This Moon is in a square aspect to Neptune from the 10th as well. This idea of over-sensitivity becomes amplified, not only from the planets involved but also from the position in angular houses, which adds strength to the influence. Illusion, art and emotional expression is essential to him but there can also be a lack of emotional boundaries with others.

**Aspects and Dispositors to the Moon in the 1st House. The Moon coming from the 7th (Cancer) to the 1st house.**

MIDHEAVEN/MC

This is the chart of someone famous and very accomplished so we should see it in his chart with multiple points of integration. His MC is the sign Scorpio, which brings intensity and feeling of emotional connection to whatever he tries to accomplish in life. My teacher often says that Scorpio is a fixed sign that acts like a cardinal, meaning the sign is very goal-oriented, often to the point of obsession. For my personal take on this, you can read my entry HERE.

As noted in the overview, having the 11th sign on the 10th house cusp through distortion shows that you want to be associated with a given group in your career. With the heavy water and Neptunian influence, it’s the community of artists and spiritual leaders that he’s attracted to throughout his life. It also removes the natural square between 1 & 10 that is typical in the archetype and replaces it with a sextile. The sextile indicates harmony between the houses and an ability to develop cooperation between the energies of the signs.

We find the rulers of his MC in the 8th house (Pluto in Virgo) and the 12th (Mars in Sagittarius), harkening back to the water triplicity through the analogies of these houses. Emotion, strong connection, sensitivity, passion, and ambition are themes that repeat in his life.

**Scorpio on the MC with Rulers by House and Sign**

The MC receives aspects from the Sun, Saturn, Pluto, Neptune, Moon and Uranus which modify the Scorpio influence.

The Sun of course brings ambition, honors, and willpower to his career while Saturn brings discipline and a need for control. The sextile denotes an easy flow of energy, and connected to his 12th, he brings out the unconscious or the hidden through his roles. I imagine he digs deep into his own psyche to enhance the roles he plays on screen and in the theater.

Pluto in Virgo from the 8th evokes that feeling of intense transformation and he’s often cited as going completely method and dissolving into a role while he’s playing it. Here’s that Pluto power of transformation at work with the added perfectionism through the Virgo.

Neptune in an approaching conjunction to the MC provides the sensitivity that helps him to dive into the fantasy and creativity of his art. There’s the ability to completely identify with whatever he’s passionate about (Scorpio). A problem can be completely losing himself in the role he’s playing and the inability to separate fiction from reality. Watching him prepare for the role of Jim Morrison in the film is a good example of this. He talks about how his wife couldn’t stand it because he was always in character.

Both the Moon and Uranus send approaching squares to the MC from angular houses – Moon from 1 and Uranus from 7. Relationships are the source of stress for him and there’s a struggle for both closeness and independence that complicates his ambitions. The Uranian influence can make him a bit of an oddity compared to others and he fluctuates between trying to fit in with more conventional society and then completely rejecting it.

When we look at the aspects to the rulers, we see the Pluto/Sun/Saturn/Neptune connections again, bringing with it the artistic sensitivity, intensity, and difficulty separating fact from fiction. In relation to his career, it’s a powerful gift that allows him to immerse himself into a role or art project, but the question becomes at what expense? Note that repeated connections to the modern planets – Uranus, Neptune and Pluto – tend to result in a person that wants to break away from conventional norms. I think it’s rather fitting in this case.

**Aspects to Pluto, Co-Ruler of the MC**

With Mars, connections with Mercury, Jupiter and Uranus enhance his attunement to higher vibrations. His mind must work incredibly fast, not only in mundane things like memorizing lines, but also in terms of creative visualization and inspiration. It also pulls all of these planets into his 12th house adding a passionate spirituality and quest for uncovering the unconscious. Of course Mars now becomes even more influential in his life because of its connection to both the ASC and MC.

Lastly, we need to look at planets in the 10th, and I would consider both Venus and Neptune. Venus, as ruler of his 4th in the 10th indicates he draws a lot of inspiration from his family background for his career. In detriment and in a sign associated with deep feeling, we get the sense there is a lot of pain or relationship turmoil that affected him. Again, Venus really only makes a major aspect to Uranus in the 7th echoing the idea of instability and ego issues in his relationships.

And here we are at Neptune again, and like Mars, becoming more powerful through repetition in its connections to the ASC and MC. As ruler of his 2nd in his 10th, clearly there is excellent earning potential for him through Neptunian work (film, art, etc.) and an emphasis on creativity and unification/identification with his career. It can also bring over-sensitivity, illusion, and escapism.

**Venus and Neptune in 10 and their aspects**

SUN/MOON DYNAMIC

The connection between the Sun and the Moon reveals how effectively we organize our life (the Sun) around what it is we crave (the Moon). In this chart the Sun and Moon do not form an aspect, hinting there is no understanding and therefore difficulty resolving the issue. What he craves (freedom/independence) and what he revolves his life around (obligation/restriction) are competing forces. They cause him suffering, which can be seen both through the emphasis in his chart on the 12th house and the enclosure of the Moon in the 1st. What’s left for him to do? Uranus becomes even more significant as a way for him to break through the disconnect with varying degrees of success.

Of the two, I’d say the Moon, his hunger for freedom, is stronger due to its position in an angular house.

Notice that Neptune is the only planet aspecting both Sun and Moon. He’s trying to work out this imbalance through his career by utilizing role play and fantasy.

DERIVATION - FAMILY INFLUENCE

Obviously this bio pic focused on his early life, including the death of his younger brother, his father’s bankruptcy, and the impact of his mother in his life. If we look at them through his chart using derivation, we see a few themes that I thought would be interesting to pull out.

Younger Brother

He was extremely close to his younger brother and speaks of him as a partner and the person who most inspired his own creativity. His younger brother died at age 15 from drowning after an epileptic seizure in the father’s jacuzzi.

I’d take his younger brother as the 3rd house with Aries on the ASC. We then find the rulers, Mars and Sun, in Val’s 12th house of suffering, which also happens to be his brother’s MC, symbolic of his future. This is a different perspective on the closeness they shared because look how close that Sun is to Saturn, the ruler of Val’s ASC. A conjunction suggests identification and this one is super sharp within 11 minutes!

Now when we look at the Mars more closely, it is co-ruler of Val’s MC, ruler by exaltation of Val’s ASC, AND ruler of his brother’s 8th house, which is Val’s 10th (8th from the 3rd going counter clockwise). Notice Pluto, co-ruler of the brother’s 8th, is also sending a sextile to the cusp from his 6th house of sicknesses.

Also, again here’s Neptune approaching the cusp showing the immense impact his brother’s death had on Val’s future. Also emphasized is the idea of a mystery and drowning with the connection to the water triplicity through Neptune and the sign Scorpio. The Venus/Uranus square suggests the suddenness of the accident.

**Younger Brother as seen in Val’s chart**

Father

One surprising thing (to me) was his financial losses through his father. In essence, his father was a fairly successful land developer, asked Val to co-sign on a loan once he started making money from his acting, and then went bankrupt. In the film, Val said his choice was to sue his father or write a check using all his money, and he ended up writing the check.

I’d take his father as the 4th house with Taurus on the ASC, which happens to be the sign associated with money and property. This then makes the father’s rulers Venus in detriment in Val’s 10th and the Moon in Aquarius in Val’s 1st.

This Venus is of course also the ruler by exaltation of Pisces, which we find on the cusp of Val’s 2nd house of earned income and his father’s 11th house of networking. Pisces’s co-ruler Neptune is in Val’s 10th/this father’s 7th, giving the idea that he suffers financially through father’s relationships. It’s not clear in the movie whether his father was at fault or swindled in some way, but Neptune is the planet of illusion and deception.

Mother

In the movie, Val describes his mother as an enigma, and she comes off as gentle, loving, and very supportive. Not much is said about her background, only that she was a stay at home mom and found happiness after she remarried. It’s clear they were very close and the home video footage is very sweet.

His mother would be represented by Val’s 10th with Scorpio on the cusp with Neptune and Venus in her 1st. All of that feminine water energy certainly would have contributed to her deep faith and enigmatic personality. Her rulers would then be in her 11th and 3rd, or Val’s 12th and 8th. I’ll be honest, I was a little stumped with these placements but my sense is that she also had a strong need for freedom and after she remarried, the separation from her may have been painful for Val.

With the Moon in Aquarius in her 4th house/Val’s 1st, its possible her own background may have been erratic or unstable in some way. The troubles with Val’s father are mentioned, and of course the death of her youngest son, but this hints at childhood instability. Through the dispositors in her 3rd and 10th, there’s also the feeling of repressed expression. All of that water and the fire in her 3rd through the Mars, Mercury, Jupiter combination add inspiration and creative ability so perhaps she had some unfulfilled artistic aspirations.

So, that’s it. Maybe a roundabout way to write a movie review, but I do recommend it. If there’s anything you want to add to the analysis, let me know in the comments.

VAL KILMER

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