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Sagittarian
actor Ray Liotta has recently regained a higher profile, thanks to his
scene-stealing work in Ridley
Scott’s Hannibal. He plays Paul Krendler, Clarice
Starling’s (Julianne
Moore) antagonist rival in the FBI, who suffers a now-notorious
fate at the hands of the movie’s namesake (Anthony Hopkins). Maintaining
this fresh wave of visibility, he also appears in two recently released
movies this month.
The first
is Heartbreakers, co-starring Sigourney Weaver and Jennifer
Love-Hewitt. He plays Dean Cummano, a tycoon who falls victim to their
mother-daughter grifting team. Following that is his role as Fred Jung,
the father to Johnny
Depp’s character George Jung in the latest drug-war themed
movie, Ted Demme’s Blow.
Exploring
New Frontiers: Sagittarius and Jupiter
 Liotta’s
Sun, his astrological “self” or basic personality, is in the sign of Sagittarius.
This sign typifies an affirming, enthusiastic trait that is compelled
to explore new frontiers.
The “personalities”
of all twelve signs of the zodiac find their major influence in a system
of planetary designation, called rulership.
Sagittarius
is ruled by (associated with) the planet Jupiter. This means the sign’s
nature corresponds to characteristics associated with Jupiter’s mythological
counterpart, Zeus, the king of gods. As the astrological representation
of divinity, Jupiter relates to all matters involving faith or belief.
This extends to the presence of spirituality, religion and philosophy
in Sagittarian archetypes.
"Heaven,
the angels and all of that, it’s just something that people make up
so they won’t feel sad anymore."
(Liotta
as Manny Singer to his young daughter in Corrina, Corrina.)
However,
in addition to the laws of nature, Sagittarius also characterizes the
laws of men. Sagittarian individuals define themselves and their values
according to their subjective interpretation of existing laws. Reflecting
the influence of Jupiter, this is done in an effort to reconcile reality
to their personal sense of a universal order.
"Whenever
we needed money, we’d rob the airport—to us it was better than Citibank.
For us to live any other way was nuts!"
(Liotta
as Henry Hill in Goodfellas.)
True
Tales
As a Sagittarius,
Liotta is drawn to play characters that willfully assume special privileges
in life, just as Zeus himself always did as he pleased. For instance,
he has played his fair share of psychopaths on the loose (Something
Wild, Turbulence), double-crossing gangsters (Goodfellas,
Pilgrim) and corrupt policemen (Cop Land,
Phoenix). He even killed two birds with one stone by playing
a psycho cop in Unlawful Entry. Roles like these allow him
to explore his Sagittarian curiosity for existence outside the structures
of society.
His casting
in Blow, the “true” tale of the life of a drug lord, makes
a deliberate reference to his role as Henry Hill in Martin Scorcese’s
fact-based Goodfellas. His presence adds to the striking
contrast between Fred Jung’s humble values and those of the unrepentant
Hill. Despite the familiar thematic territory, the role is a credible
feat on Liotta’s part. Especially considering he and Depp are only seven
and a half years apart in age.
"Money
isn’t real, George. It doesn’t matter. It seems like it does, but it
doesn’t."
(Liotta
as Fred Jung addressing his son in Blow.)
Another side
of his Sagittarian nature relates to the fact that no matter which side
of sanity or justice his characters belong to, they are usually smart
and true to their own principles.
"Being
right is not a bulletproof vest, Freddie!"
(Liotta
as Gary “Figgsy” Figgis talking sense to his friend Freddy Heflin, played
by Sylvester
Stallone, in Cop Land.)
As the ruling
planet of Sagittarius, Jupiter’s position in Liotta’s chart provides further
definition of his Sagittarian qualities. He was born with Jupiter in the
sign of Virgo, on the very day that it came to an apparent stop in the
sky. This phenomenon is called a “station” in astrology.
Stations
refer to cyclical periods when, from a terrestrial perspective, planets
appear to change direction in orbit. Because of their (perceived) reduced
speed, planetary strength is magnified during their stations, amplifying
their influence as sign rulers. His stationary Jupiter, already the planet
representative of excess, describes him as the kind of Sagittarius who
can easily go overboard.
Captain
Cahill (Danny Glover): "My motto is 'have a little faith.'"
Captain
Doyle (Liotta): "Yeah? Well, my motto is 'explosives, and plenty
of ‘em.'"
(Dialogue
from Operation Dumbo Drop.)
An
Added Double Edge
Liotta’s
part in Hannibal’s gory finale is strong evidence for his
tendency to go to certain extremes. But Jupiter does not refer to the
smoldering intensity he brings to his edgier work. His piercing gaze and
maniacal laugh are reflected by the two planets he happens to have placed
in Scorpio, a sign that is often characterized by its attraction to “dark”
subjects. These are Mars, the planet representative of force and dissociation,
and Saturn, the planet of deprivation and control.
Because of
their “negative” (as opposed to “bad”) functions, these two planets are
referred to as “malefic” in traditional astrology. For instance, Mars
can represent a knife, because it “cuts” (dissociates), but that does
not mean a knife is a “bad” object. As an acting “tool,” the combination
points to the convincing menace behind his high-strung persona. He often
gives the impression that he is holding in (Saturn) tremendous energy
(Mars), as if he could explode at any moment.
Too
Much Is Not Enough
After years
of sporadic appearances in marginal work like Operation Dumbo Drop
and Muppets From Space, critics and fans have cheered his
return to serious form. Having demonstrated in Hannibal
that his powerful Jupiter can still go the extra mile, this Sagittarius
is primed to push the envelope even further. As the sign’s image suggests,
he is like an archer who purposefully aims his arrow to fly as far as
possible.
His next
appearances, in the forthcoming films Narc and John
Q, should provide audiences with plenty of chances to see him
work. It comes as no surprise since Mars, the “working” planet, spends
most of this year going back and forth through Sagittarius. Thankfully,
for a class act like Liotta, when it comes to exposure, too much is not
enough.
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