The first thing you should notice in Tom Hanks’ chart is his Mars. It’s the key to his whole story.

Yes, he’s got an intensely internalizing Sun in Cancer which regularly shows in his dramas, and a fun, goofy Leo Moon which he utilizes in his comedies. And, of course, he keeps them all carefully under control beneath that crafted and well-trained Virgo Ascendant. Don’t forget the supple Venus in Gemini at his Midheaven which makes him guaranteed to please and famous for it, putting the icing on his career-oriented cake of Sun and Mercury in the tenth house of reputation.

But it’s that Mars. Soft, sensitive, and a little uncomfortable in Pisces, it’s the handle of his bucket-pattern chart and in the most craftsmanlike and careful way swings everything else along behind it. It’s strongly trine his Sun, so he exudes inner self-confidence, even while it is square his Venus, which is usually an indicator of a guy that has a little bit of an awkward way with women. Of course, in the end, all that watery sincerity wins their hearts as that was what they were looking for all along. No wonder his favorite actor is Jimmy Stewart. As a personality, this quiet, hard-working multi-talent has little you could point out as a problem.

That doesn’t mean he’s without difficult aspects, but they’re more social and generational. Uranus square Neptune marks a year of people born to be a little disillusioned by sudden change in circumstances, and he’s always expecting that, even when things are coming up roses for him. And Pluto square Saturn is a sign that he really doesn’t like the establishment and with Jupiter there he’ll put money and production investment behind his political and social beliefs, and with idealistic Neptune ruling that Mars handle, you can see it in all of his work.

Current events: After Jupiter-Ascendant transits got him his biggest awards in the middle ‘90s, Hanks went through a Pluto period as his Sun progressed past that planet which deepened his work and isolated his characters in the likes of Saving Private Ryan, The Green Mile, and Cast Away. Jupiter returned for the monster DaVinci Code, but along with it transiting Saturn has been pushing him hard, hitting both Lights and soon his Ascendant, just to get his work done. That’s the mode he’s in right now, so expect more workmanlike projects in the next year or so, if not career milestones.