Star sign: Leo

Born under a Sun right on the cusp of Cancer and Leo, Jennifer Lopez is a dynamic mix of these two astrological influences – a forceful combination of emotion and action. While Cancer is a Water Sign caring and sentimental Leo is a Fire Sign intent on action and gaining acclaim. Those fortunate enough to be born on this Cancer/Leo cusp will be adored by most because they roar forth with the Lion’s ferocious vigour and Cancer’s soft, sensitive touch and expressive affection. A joy to behold, they can rouse a crowd once they get the attention they’re always seeking.

It’s only after they’ve got your attention with that Leo gregariousness that you notice that their message is Cancerian in nature: empathetic, even inspirational. Though her films are dramatic and often removed from real life, though her songs are all about love and glamour, Jennifer’s connection with her audience is intimate and full of pride. As the highest-paid Latin American actress ever and as an actress who calls her own shots and makes her own demands, she’s become a role model for legions of young women. The actress has said that her friends and staff all call her Ma. ‘I’m the motherly type,’ Lopez acknowledges, doffing her hat to a Cancer influence that, though not immediately visible in her chart, is very much a part of who she is.

That Water Sign inspiration softens her, but it’s Leo’s vibrant energy that drives this sexy star to succeed. The Fixed Fire Sign shows up in not only the placement of her Sun, but also of Mercury and Mars, two very potent and personal planetary influences. Mercury, the Planet of Communication and Self-expression in Leo indicates an individual gifted with a fertile but focused mind and a knack for expressing ideas in the most dramatic ways possible. One thing to watch for with this placement is a sort of intellectual superiority. Not knowing when to take the advice of others over her own self-assured opinions – a quality that comes from the Fixed nature of this Sign – could put obstacles in Jennifer’s path to realising some of her dreams.

When Mars, the Planet of Ambition and Passion, finds itself in Leo, you’ve got an individual with an enthusiastic drive for power and accomplishment that’s rooted deeply in their ego. The main goal of Leo energy, born of that vain and beautiful Lion, is to gain appreciation and applause. And unlike, for example, a Cancer or Taurus, Leo seeks acclaim for the sake of their pride, not for comfort or material gain. Pride comes up again and again in Lopez’s life, through her creative endeavours and in her personal interviews. She’s aware of the power she now holds and of the effect her actions and choices have on her fans, and she endeavours to always present herself in the best possible light. Status is vital, and if tawdry bits of gossip or insults come her way, you can be sure that she takes them to heart. She will not, however, get angry or vengeful: Leo is an open-hearted and forgiving energy.

Jennifer also benefits from the placement of Mars Sextile Uranus in her chart. This aspect urges her always to strive for more, even just as one goal has been achieved. Mars also makes a Square (a hard aspect that causes unease in a chart) to Jupiter, the Planet of Philosophy and Good Fortune. If untouched by other more positive aspects, Mars Square Jupiter can lead to excess and recklessness. Luckily for Jen, she’s got the complementary energy of a Trine to Neptune stabilising the Mars energy in her chart. A Trine is a soft aspect that lends ease to affairs, opening the flow of energy between the Planets involved in the aspect – in this case Mars and Neptune, the Planet of Illusion and Dreams.

Speaking of Squares, though, Lopez’s Leo Sun Squares Jupiter, making her susceptible again to arrogance and an abundance of self-pride. Unless she bears in mind how hard she’s worked and how lucky she has been, an exaggerated self-image and sense of importance could get the better of this super-hot and multi-talented star. She’s Leo strong, and pride and vanity are always possible stumbling blocks to ultimate, lasting, satisfying success.

Jennifer Lopez’s is not an overnight success story, however. Some of her perseverance and tenacity can be traced to Saturn’s position in Taurus in her chart. Saturn, the Planet of Karmic Lessons, in this placement makes for a patient and persistent person willing to work hard, dig in and really fight for what she wants. Serious and single-minded, those with Saturn in Taurus can sometimes get so wrapped up in moving forward towards achievement and security that they fail to reach out in love.

Venus in Virgo doesn’t help Lopez out much, either. Discriminating and critical, this Earth Sign energy looks for perfection in a life partner. She’s been divorced twice and her highly publicised relationship with Puffy went south as well; it seems she doesn’t want to settle down yet – both because of her career and because no-one’s come at all close to meeting her impossibly high standards. Jennifer shows no signs of slowing down – she’s even talked about launching her own line of clothing and cosmetics. She’s still got goals to reach, hit songs to perform, blockbuster films to make and precedents to set.

Click here for Jennifer’s chart.