Reel-to-Real Love

Bogie and Bacall, Hepburn and Tracy, Pitt and Jolie – why do some film flames ignite into real-life love affairs? If the “reel” love is based on genuine affinity, it may turn into real love – to the fascination of fans. Who can resist such a fantasy come true?

So how can you tell if an onscreen romance has the potential for true love? Comparing a couple’s astrology charts reveals their compatibility, though a Sun-sign comparison is only the beginning. Comparing a couple’s Moon signs (emotional compatibility), Venus signs (love styles) and Mars signs (sexual compatibility) offers a more comprehensive picture of their relationship potential.

To discover some secrets of reel-to-real love, we’ll analyze the charts of three famous film couples. Most recently, Dev Patel and Freida Pinto, who met on the set of Slumdog Millionaire (2008), then the unlikely match of Annette Bening and Warren Beatty, who married shortly after starring together in Bugsy (1991), and stalwart couple Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, who met in the early ’80s on the set of Hanks’ TV series Bosom Buddies.

Dev Patel (April 23, 1990), Freida Pinto (October 18, 1984)
The award-winning film about a poor Indian lad, played by Patel, who won a million dollars on a game show against all odds, became a worldwide hit. What made the film even more endearing was the relationship between the boy and his troubled lady love, played by Pinto. Their chemistry was magical.

Patel is a Taurus, and Pinto is a Libra. She leads with her intellect, while he has a more earthy approach to life. Looking deeper, we see a case of opposites attracting. His Moon in Aries is opposite her Sun in Libra, a compatible tie. (She has Moon in either emotional Cancer or passionate Leo, depending on her time of birth – probably Leo, due to her charisma and choice of profession.) What’s more, Patel’s Taurus nature is enticed by Pinto’s multiple Scorpio placements: Mercury, Venus, Saturn and Pluto. She’s super-intense and magnetic, while he’s easygoing and grounded. Well, as grounded as someone with Venus and Mars in fantasy-prone Pisces can be. His practical Taurus nature has a spiritual, imaginative side. He craves a spiritual union with a deep emotional connection, which he gets from Pinto’s Scorpio influences. Also, the water (Pisces-Scorpio) emphasis between them deepens their bond, but makes it hard to be objective. Mutual stubbornness and the need for control are challenges as well.

As for sex – no problem there! Taurus and Scorpio is a compelling combination. Plus, Pinto’s Mars in Capricorn appreciates a strong, earthy man, like a Taurus, while Patel’s Mars in Pisces makes him sensitive and adaptable to his lover’s needs, a must for a Libra-Scorpio woman. It’s a soulful relationship that may well survive both their youth and the glare of Hollywood lights.

Annette Bening (May 29, 1958), Warren Beatty (March 30, 1937)
In Bugsy, Beatty plays mobster Bugsy Siegel, who falls madly in love with a starlet, played by Bening. Their onscreen chemistry was playful and funny, which isn’t a surprise considering their Sun signs – he’s a fiery Aries, and she’s a flirtatious Gemini. Obviously, their chemistry deepened into love, because they married a year after the film was released. Even better, they’re still married after 17 years – an anomaly in Hollywood.

So what was Bening’s secret in capturing this charismatic hunk, well known for his playboy antics? Besides having more than her fair share of charm, compliment of her Sun in Gemini, she has Venus in Aries, which is a strong love tie with Beatty. They have plenty of fire between them. They also have some opposite energy, similar to that of Patel and Pinto. Bening’s Moon in Libra is opposite Beatty’s Sun in Aries. Since Libra is the sign of partnership, she brings out the urge to merge – on all levels – in her Aries man. Additionally, his Mars in adventurous Sagittarius is opposite her Sun in Gemini, heightening the passion (and irritations) between them. As for their emotional bond, Beatty has Moon in secretive Scorpio, not the easiest placement for emotional openness. Fortunately, Bening’s Mars in sensitive Pisces is in tune with his Moon in Scorpio, a Water-sign tie. In romance, his Venus in Taurus craves stability in love. He seems to have found it in his smart and talented Gemini partner.

Tom Hanks (July 9, 1956), Rita Wilson (October 26, 1956)
This Cancer-Scorpio couple met on the set of Bosom Buddies, but began their relationship in earnest while filming Volunteers (1985). They married in 1988. Their Suns being in Water signs is a deep emotional tie. Also, Wilson has Moon in either Cancer or Leo, which means she either shares Hank’s Moon in Leo or his Sun in Cancer. Either way, it’s a remarkable indication of emotional affinity. What’s more, they both have Mars in Pisces, which heightens their intuitive-sexual bond. The challenge is a tendency to overlook problems instead of facing them head-on. Still, it creates an imaginative working relationship between two actors.

As for their love styles, they’re both highly analytical, but his Venus in Gemini can clash with her Venus in Virgo. She’s the practical one in the relationship, and may get impatient with his intellectual approach to working things out. Fortunately, the Water placements in their charts keep them focused on their feelings, which makes them inseparable. Having been married for over 20 years, they’re obviously doing something right!

It’s intriguing when you can sense a deeper connection between two actors than just the usual onscreen chemistry. With the couples mentioned above, real love was apparently written in the stars.