JOANNE WOODWARD and PAUL NEWMAN

Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward are both well known American actors, with lengthy and successful careers in film. They were married January 29, 1958, at 1:00 PM and are still married at present, making this one of the longest Hollywood marriages on record. I chose their marriage as an example of how synastry analysis can be an excellent tool for predicting relationship compatibility. The marriage chart has a Void of Course Moon, indicating the marriage will go on forever without major changes. I would like to note here that a bad marriage chart can destroy the best possible synastry, but a great marriage chart can compensate for some otherwise really bad synastry.

Paul has his own line of salad dressing and owns half a racing team, while Joanne has been content to focus on her artistic endeavours. Both have a long list of movies to their credit, and have devoted a lot of time and money to charity. They have one daughter, Lissy Newman, who is also an actress.

Paul and Joanne have a total of 80 synastry aspects between their charts, with 49 soft aspects and 31 hard ones, and an aspect ratio of 1.58 to 1. I count conjunctions as soft aspects because even when Saturn is involved they make for powerful bonds. Also, I use the Ptolemaic aspects and orbs meaning no minor aspects and orbs of 8 degrees for conjunctions, oppositions, trines and squares, and six degree orbs for sextiles. I did attempt to predict the outcome of relationships using minor aspects, only to find that the aspect ratio is far more important than the number of aspects between the charts. Therefore the attraction index is the aspect ratio times the total number of aspects, or ..(80 x 1.58), or 126, making for a very powerful connection. The 1.58 to 1 ratio of soft to hard aspects makes for great compatibility, while still adding enough friction to keep life interesting. This is a very high score, indicating the likelihood of a very long and above all happy marriage. If this ratio ever falls below a 1:1, it would make a permanent sexual relationship impossible.

The synastry report which follows is written from Joanne's viewpoint, since most of our readers are women.

Both Paul and Joanne have Capricorn rising, giving both a need for a nurturing and supportive partner. Paul's Sun in Aquarius and Joanne's Moon in Aquarius give them relief from each other's emotional demands when things become too intense. They are able to step back and detach from their feelings for awhile, until the need for intimacy returns. While not in aspect, Joanne's Moon is in Paul's Sun sign, and vice versa, making for a powerful and reciprocal attraction. This is the classic compatibility aspect, bringing harmony and mutual understanding on the intuitive level. Both partners encourage each other to grow, change and succeed within the bounds of the relationship.

Joanne's Sun sextiles Paul's Jupiter while Joanne's Jupiter trines Pauls's Sun. This gives them a sense of ease with each other, with a generosity of spirit and much mutual respect. Both partners put forth their best efforts, with Joanne enhancing Paul's self esteem, and Paul helping Joanne to financial or career improvement. This aspect is very favourable for joint business ventures. Joanne's Sun trine Paul's MC gives Paul's career a boost through her constant and loyal support, which in turn provides financial and emotional security for her.

Joanne's Moon sextile Paul's Mars makes for a sexually stimulating relationship, with Joanne encouraging Paul to fulfill his goals and ambitions. She becomes the ideal partner and lover for Paul, and he may resort to challenges and open provocation to elicit a more spirited response from her. Joanne's Mercury and Mars are conjunct Paul's South Node, exerting a very powerful and irresistible attraction on him. He feels she understands his thoughts and goals, and is supportive of his actions, while her Mars acts as a powerful sexual attraction. There is a near psychic communication between them and in karmic terms, this is definitely a past life relationship.

Joanne's Venus sextiles Paul's Mercury which indicates pleasant and warm verbal exchanges, with Joanne encouraging Paul to express his ideas, and Paul verbalizing Joanne's feelings and emotions. Joanne may be too indulgent of Paul's ideas, and Paul can be too concerned about Joanne's ambitions and need for success. The Venus/Venus sextile shows general feelings of ease and friendship, introducing each other to very different but mutually enjoyable pleasures. Her Venus trine his Saturn favours a slow and steady buildup of affections. Paul offers integrity and loyalty, while Joanne is left to supply most of the affection. Joanne has lessons of discipline to learn from Paul, while Paul can be very stern and demanding. Her Venus trine his Pluto makes for an intense and deep love, with some control issues like jealousy or possessiveness. There is a strong sexual attraction between them, with possibly embarrassing possessiveness by Paul, but this is counter balanced by Paul's detached Aquarian Sun. Her Venus sextiles Paul's Ascendant, making her very supportive of his aims and values, as well as very affectionate toward him.

Her Saturn conjunct his Jupiter makes for financial practicality and realism, which results in a productive partnership with trust and generosity toward Paul. His indulgent nature is balanced by her discipline, ensuring good planning and organization for business ventures. Joanne's Saturn sextiles Paul's MC, making her a loyal and steadfast supporter of his career interests and objectives. Her Pluto trine his Uranus can assist him in asserting his individuality more effectively, in order to reach his goals and objectives, while Paul can show Joanne new ways for solving her problems and staying in control of her life.

Challenges in the Relationship

Joanne's Moon opposite Paul's Neptune can be spiritual and idealistic, with a deep sense of empathy and intuitive understanding. He fires her imagination and creativity, but she may be enmeshed by his magic spell and flights of fancy, giving up her own goals and objectives. He fails to understand her changing moods and need for space within the relationship and is not quite sure of how to meet her emotional needs. She may feel that he is emotionally unreliable and changeable. This combination can make for a lifelong fascination with each other's perceived image rather than the practical reality.

Her Mercury square his Saturn acts to dampen her spontaneity by questioning her judgement and pointing out her errors. She can often provide new facts or ways of looking at things that his conservative mind had not considered, but it's a tough job to overcome his sometimes obstructive attitude. Her Mars square his Saturn can be the immovable object versus the irresistible force. He controls and sometimes suppresses her energies, while she nags to ensure that he does not neglect his duties. She finds this combination frustrating to balance, and easily erupts in explosion of temper. Her Saturn opposite his Pluto is indicative of intense struggles for dominance, as well as incredible commitment and tenacity in the relationship, and in this case, it obviously is both. He may play on her worst fears, while she may restrict his freedom too much. This aspect is being worked out as a supportive business partnership. Her Uranus square his Jupiter encourages his inventive and her creative abilities, but her complacency may drive him to erratic behaviour. The partnership is generous materially, and willing to give each other plenty of space. Joanne's Pluto is conjunct Paul's descendant, making her seem very controlling and manipulative at times.

Considering the fact that the marriage has lasted over forty years, it seems that astrology confirms the fact that a good solid marriage between committed partners can survive even in a stressful environment with many temptations to experiment with other relationships.

Bippus Compatibility Analysis

for Paul Newman and Joanne Wooward

Total aspects between the two of you = 80

Easy aspects between the two of you = 49

Difficult aspects between the two of you = 31

Ratio of easy to difficult aspects (the higher, the better) = 1.58

Multiply the total by the aspect ratio( 80 x 1.5 = 126.4

Total compatibility score = 126.4 *** EXTREMELY HIGH

Cosmodyne Analysis

Another popular way for looking at compatibility is the use of the cosmodynes. The power score in the example below of 503 is exceptionally high, and represents the total number of aspects between the charts. The harmony score represents the soft to hard aspect ratio. Negative scores are a reliable indication that the relationship will not last, and should ALWAYS be avoided. A good score for marriage is in the 400 to 500 range, though I have seen marriages where the score is as low as 320. The important thing is to have a positive harmony score, as well as a high power score. Whether a marriage succeeds or not depends more on the marriage chart than the synastry.

Biwheel Synastry Chart

SYNASTRY GRID