Tales from the ‘Titanic’

We hear so much about Kate and Leonardo in the movie Titanic that the real star of the show, Gloria Stuart is overlooked. 

In case the name isn’t familiar, Gloria played Rose as an old woman. It is her story, her romantic liaison with a poor boy from a different social class to hers that we are listening to when we watch the film. Gloria was a classic actress of the silver screen.

Titanic star Gloria Stuart was born 4 July 1910, 11pm in Santa Monica CA. She was of the right age and physical beauty to be involved in the so called Golden age of Hollywood. From 1932-1946, she acted in some 46 films before retiring from the acting. Between 1946 and 1982, she pursued other interests including screen printing and bonsai art. Yes, bonsai art!

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Titanic: The Film

Titanic came along in 1996 (released at the end of 1997) when Gloria was 87 years old. This is an age when a lot of folks tend to believe their best days are behind them. Jupiter was transiting her natal Uranus as Titanic was being filmed. So she was quite in the mood to turn convention on its ear.

Gloria took the part of Rose with relish. Her eyes sparkle when she talks about her life as a young woman in love with Jack Dawson. When we see Kate Winslet portraying Rose as a young woman, there is no trouble believing they are the same character at different stages in their lives.

Gloria’s chart shows a stellium in Gemini. This is a pretty good significator for someone who has been an actress, artists and bonsai aficionado. This stellium also makes a good story teller and with Mercury conjunct Pluto, there is something mesmerising about her delivery. Indeed, in the film, everyone listens to every word she says.

Gloria Stuart/Kate Winslet

Remarkably, Kate Winslet, born 5 Oct 1974, 7:17, Reading UK (time of birth unverified) has her Mars conjunct Gloria’s Pluto/Mercury. Remember, Gloria talks and Kate acts. Poor Kate was the one who had to stand in ice cold water up to her neck for days at a time. But she did get to snog Leonardo (so I guess it also balances itself out). Kate acts the sexual elements of Rose’s memories. Gloria’s Sun is also on Kate’s MC: both woman are like binary stars of the show. It’s also apt that they have a nodal connection with Kate’s North Node on Gloria’s South Node and vice versa. Destiny anyone?

Molly Brown

The other character that fascinated me was the “Unsinkable Molly Brown”played by the divine Kathy Bates (28 June 1948, 11:12, Memphis Tennessee). Kathy defies convention. In the right makeup and with the right lighting, she is a passably attractive woman. But one can’t get away from the fact that she is just not the Barbie doll type. She’s a real woman—and thank the great goddess for her all natural Virgo rising with Mars in conjunction to her ascendant. Mars forms part of grand cross with Uranus conjunct her MC, the Moon in Pisces conjunct her descendant and Jupiter in Sagittarius conjunct her IC. This is sheer determination to overcome obstacles in her path.

We don’t have Molly Brown’s time of birth but from the noon chart, we can see that she too has a grand cross but in fixed signs. It was this character that stood up in the lifeboat as the screams of the dying could be heard and said: “I don’t know what’s wrong with any of you! That’s your men out there!” In real life, Molly did persuade her lifeboat to go back to help. (Below is a photo of her receiving an award for her bravery from the captain of the ship that rescued the survivors from their lifeboats).

Kathy Bates/Molly Brown

Molly’s Chiron in Pisces is exactly conjunct Kathy’s Moon. Kathy has an understanding of Molly’s pain and she taps into the emotions of her real life character. Kathy’s Chiron is conjunct Molly’s Saturn in Scorpio which in turns triggers the grand cross in fixed signs. There is an understanding between these two that life is not going to be easy or uncomplicated. In the movie, Molly was disregarded as “new money” but re-watching the film, I think one is never convinced the character is particularly bothered about this.

The real Molly Brown always wanted to marry rich. However, she married JJ Brown for love. He became a rich man due to his engineering efforts and so, in the end she got her rich man. Although the couple separated, Molly used her fame as a Titanic survivor to promote the causes close to heart: the rights of workers and women, education and literacy for children, historic preservation, and commemoration of the bravery and chivalry displayed by the men aboard the Titanic. Kathy’s Pluto/Saturn conjunction on Molly’s Mercury gives Molly Brown a voice so many years after his death.

Which other actors and actresses do you know that played real life characters?

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