And The Winner Is..

Gone for some time now is the studio system that established Hollywood as the world's dream factory. Today's heroes and heroines are far more complex than they were before the realism of the mid-1960's kicked in. But on Oscar Night, when competing dreams and careers vie for the golden statuette, a place in history, and the astronomical salaries that accompany an Oscar win, we are all transported to the glamour and joyful innocence of a bygone era. Many of us vicariously step to the podium and into the light with our favorite stars and thank everyone responsible for our hard-earned recognition.

Predicting the Oscars is serious business for odds-makers and cinematic experts alike. For astrologers, it's a special challenge this year because we only know birth times for three of the 25 contenders: George Clooney, Steven Spielberg, and Matt Dillon. For the other 22, there are only birth dates. For the five nominated films, we have the release dates and a sense of how the planets define the meaning of the moment and the film that most captures its essence.

Birth times are very important, not only to determine the precise degree of the Moon and other inner planets, but to know for sure the house placements of the planets and the all-important midheaven, which points to career success, visibility, and recognition from the outer world. In the case of the tightest race here, Best Actress, between Reese Witherspoon and Felicity Huffman, and Best Supporting Actor race, the chart specifics would clear it up.

But working with what we have, let's look at Oscar Night itself:

The chart for Sunday, March 5, 2006 at 5 p.m. in Los Angeles has Virgo rising, and the Moon and Mars conjunct in Gemini at the midheaven. Gemini suggests duality and speed. Could there be a tie in one category or could the proceedings be uncharacteristically fast? Mercury is retrograde--in a square to Pluto no less: this retrograde happens three times a year. It is famous for glitches, traffic mishaps and confusion. Possible bloopers, problems with teleprompters and overly ambitious choreography could lead to a wildly entertaining klutz-fest. But this may be a perfect foil for Oscars host and Sagittarian Jon Stewart (Nov. 28, 1962). Transiting Jupiter square Neptune suggests controversy is in vogue, and that Stewart is undoubtedly the Man of the Hour, who will not disappoint.