The life of Mahershala Ali
Who is Mahershala Ali?
Mahershala Ali won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor twice in three years, for Moonlight in February 2017 and Green Book in February 2019. He played basketball at university before turning to acting, and worked for years in television including House of Cards and True Detective. He converted to Islam in 1999. He was the first Muslim actor to win an acting Oscar.
Defining moments
91st Academy Awards
“Forty-eight days before the ceremony, Uranus sextile natal Sun in the seventh house sparked an innovative partnership window leading up to the 91st Academy Awards.”
The Award in the timeline ↓Mahershala Ali's birth chart
☾ Born Feb 16, 1974 · 11:40 PM PDT · Oakland · Birth data: AA · See sources
3 placements that explain this chart
Defined by an exact Air Grand Trine involving the Sun, Saturn, and Uranus on his Ascendant, his chart reflects steady calculation and layered emotional restraint.
Aquarius Sun in the fourth house forms a close trine to Saturn and Uranus, favoring deep internal autonomy and private discipline over public exhibitionism.
Capricorn Moon in the third house brings emotional sobriety, sharp verbal economy, and measured cadence to his delivery and dialogue.
Libra Rising meets people on level terms and in measured tones. The Aquarius Sun in the fourth house and Capricorn Moon in the third both keep a cooler distance than the courtesy suggests.
How Mahershala Ali's chart holds together
Twelve systems read the same birth chart twelve different ways. Match your chart to see how yours lines up with Mahershala Ali's.
Elements and modalities
Air-led, with no modality standing out.
Elements × modalities
| Cardinal | Fixed | Mutable | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🜂 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 🜃 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 🜁 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| 🜄 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 4 | 3 | 3 | 10 |
Elements
Modalities
No dominant planet is named because two planets score equally.
Quadrant emphasis is not shown because no quadrant stands out.
Chart patterns that stand out
Uranus conjunct an angle: right at the chart's most visible points
See celebrities with this pattern →Grand Trine: Jupiter, Saturn & Uranus in flowing harmony
See celebrities with this pattern →Sun, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus & Pluto loading up one element
See celebrities with this pattern →Frequencies are measured against the profile corpus, not asserted.
Twelve systems read Mahershala Ali's chart
the full reading
13 placements in the chart signature →Natal Chart
Dual Air Grand Trines create rare intellectual poise and technical command
Harmonious aspects between Sun, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus anchor his deliberate, highly disciplined craft.
Full natal readingCollapse
Exact planetary positions
● Sun, Moon or chart ruler · ℞ retrograde
| Body | Position | House | Motion | Theme | Sabian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiron | ♈︎ Aries 17°33' | 6 | - | — | Recuperation |
| Mars | ♉︎ Taurus 24°29' | 7 | - | — | Expansion |
| Saturn | ♊︎ Gemini 27°53' | 8 | ℞ | — | Reckoning |
| Pluto | ♎︎ Libra 6°25' | 12 | ℞ | — | Guardianship |
| Uranus | ♎︎ Libra 27°40' | 12 | ℞ | — | Illumination |
| Neptune | ♐︎ Sagittarius 9°28' | 2 | - | — | Fortune |
| North node | ♐︎ Sagittarius 26°50' | 2 | ℞ | — | Craftsmanship |
| Moon | ♑︎ Capricorn 4°08' | 3 | - | — | Mobilization |
| Lilith | ♑︎ Capricorn 20°36' | 3 | - | — | Cooperation |
| Venus | ♑︎ Capricorn 26°07' | 3 | - | — | Aspiration |
| Jupiter | ♒︎ Aquarius 25°26' | 4 | - | — | Measurement |
| Sun | ♒︎ Aquarius 28°13' | 4 | - | — | Rebirth |
| Mercury | ♓︎ Pisces 11°39' | 5 | ℞ | — | Initiation |
| South node | ♊︎ Gemini 26°50' | — | - | — | — |
| House | Cusp sign | Degree | Planets |
|---|---|---|---|
| House 1 | ♎︎ Libra | 28°05' | - |
| House 2 | ♏︎ Scorpio | 26°22' | ♆︎☊ |
| House 3 | ♐︎ Sagittarius | 28°12' | ☽︎⚸♀︎ |
| House 4 | ♒︎ Aquarius | 2°19' | ♃︎☉︎ |
| House 5 | ♓︎ Pisces | 5°17' | ☿︎ |
| House 6 | ♈︎ Aries | 4°05' | ⚷ |
| House 7 | ♈︎ Aries | 28°05' | ♂︎ |
| House 8 | ♉︎ Taurus | 26°22' | ♄︎ |
| House 9 | ♊︎ Gemini | 28°12' | - |
| House 10 | ♌︎ Leo | 2°19' | - |
| House 11 | ♍︎ Virgo | 5°17' | - |
| House 12 | ♎︎ Libra | 4°05' | ♇︎♅︎ |
Full aspects · 29
Chart patterns
House system: placidus · Birth time: sourced, Rodden AA · Angles trusted
Transits
Lifetime cosmic weather & power windows
89th Academy Awards
Mars dasha · Personal year 1 · Pinnacle 1
Editorial note · Saturn sextile Sun
Arriving 39 days after the ceremony, Saturn sextile Sun in house 2 consolidated the professional authority and lasting value earned on Oscar night.
Mahershala Ali's chart on award day, 2017Collapse
Aug 30Feb 26Aug 25Aug 30, 2016 – Aug 25, 2017 · 360 days
Birth time recorded to the minute · all contacts shown
- Neptune conjunction Mercuryslow
- Chiron sextile Marsslow
- Saturn sextile Ascendantslow
- Saturn sextile Sunslow
- North Node trine Moonfast
72nd British Academy Film Awards
Rahu dasha · Personal year 3 · Pinnacle 1
Editorial note · Uranus sextile Sun
A month before the BAFTAs, Uranus sextile natal Sun in the 7th house marked a potent power window of creative recognition.
Mahershala Ali's chart on award day, 2019Collapse
Nov 30Feb 10Apr 23Nov 30, 2018 – Apr 23, 2019 · 144 days
Birth time recorded to the minute · all contacts shown
- Uranus sextile Sunslow
- Uranus opposition Ascendantslow
- Uranus square Venusslow
- North Node opposition Venusfast
- North Node square Ascendantfast
91st Academy Awards
Rahu dasha · Personal year 3 · Pinnacle 1
Editorial note · Uranus sextile Sun
Forty-eight days before the ceremony, Uranus sextile natal Sun in the seventh house sparked an innovative partnership window leading up to the 91st Academy Awards.
Mahershala Ali's chart on award day, 2019Collapse
Nov 30Feb 24May 21Nov 30, 2018 – May 21, 2019 · 172 days
Birth time recorded to the minute · all contacts shown
- Uranus square Midheavenslow
- Uranus sextile Sunslow
- Uranus opposition Ascendantslow
- North Node sextile Marsfast
- North Node opposition Venusfast
- North Node square Ascendantfast
Human Design
Manifesting Generator 4/1 on the Juxtaposition Cross of Fates
Defined emotional authority and fixed profile geometry direct his energy along a very specific, responsive life path.
The Juxtaposition Cross of Fates
Full Human Design readingCollapse
Centers · 6 defined / 3 open
| Centre | State | What it governs |
|---|---|---|
| Head | Open | — |
| Ajna | Open | — |
| Throat | Defined | — |
| G identity | Defined | — |
| Heart will | Open | — |
| Sacral | Defined | — |
| Solar plexus | Defined | — |
| Spleen | Defined | — |
| Root | Defined | — |
Chart properties
Signature
When the strategy is working
—
Not-self theme
When it isn't
—
Personality activations · 11
| Planet | Gate.Line |
|---|---|
| ☉︎ Sun | 30.4 |
| · Earth | 29.4 |
| ☽︎ Moon | 58.1 |
| ☊ North node | 11.5 |
| ☋ South node | 12.5 |
| ☿︎ Mercury | 63.1 |
| ♀︎ Venus | 61.6 |
| ♂︎ Mars | 23.6 |
| ♅︎ Uranus | 50.2 |
| ♆︎ Neptune | 9.4 |
| ♇︎ Pluto | 18.3 |
Design activations · 12
| Planet | Gate.Line |
|---|---|
| ☉︎ Sun | 34.1 |
| · Earth | 20.1 |
| ☽︎ Moon | 28.5 |
| ☊ North node | 10.1 |
| ☋ South node | 15.1 |
| ☿︎ Mercury | 44.4 |
| ♀︎ Venus | 54.3 |
| ♂︎ Mars | 42.5 |
| ♃︎ Jupiter | 41.6 |
| ♅︎ Uranus | 32.6 |
| ♆︎ Neptune | 9.2 |
| ♇︎ Pluto | 18.3 |
Defined channels · 6
Centres and channels derive from the combined design (88° solar arc pre-birth) and personality (natal) gate set; lines come from planetary longitude.
Gene Keys
Gene Key 30 as Life's Work turns burning desire into lightness of being
His core activation shifts raw emotional intensity into refined artistic poise and effortless presence.
Full Gene Keys readingCollapse
Hologenetic Profile
Activation Sequence
| Sphere | Key | Shadow → Gift → Siddhi |
|---|---|---|
| Life's Work | Gene Key 30 Conscious Sun | |
| Evolution | Gene Key 29 Conscious Earth | |
| Radiance | Gene Key 34 Unconscious Sun | |
| Purpose | Gene Key 20 Unconscious Earth |
Venus Sequence
| Sphere | Key | Shadow → Gift → Siddhi |
|---|---|---|
| Attraction | Gene Key 28 | |
| IQ | Gene Key 61 | |
| EQ | Gene Key 23 | |
| SQ | Gene Key 54 |
Pearl Sequence
| Sphere | Key | Shadow → Gift → Siddhi |
|---|---|---|
| Vocation | Gene Key 42 | |
| Culture | Gene Key 41 | |
| Pearl | Gene Key 30 |
Rings, codons & partners
Gene Keys derive from the same combined design (88 days pre-birth) and personality (natal) gate set as Human Design, read through the shadow → gift → siddhi spectrum rather than defined/undefined centres.
Vedic Nakshatras
Mula Moon brings radical transformative depth beneath calm surface control
Located in Ketu-ruled Mula, his lunar placement seeks the root essence of every narrative he inhabits.
Full Vedic readingCollapse
Nakshatra placements · 14
● shown in snapshot · scrolls →
| Body | Nakshatra | Pada | Sidereal | Ruler | Deity | Animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mars | Krittika | 2 | Taurus 0° | Sun | Agni | Female Sheep |
| Saturn | Mrigashira | 4 | Gemini 4° | Mars | Soma | Female Serpent |
| Pluto | Hasta | 1 | Virgo 12° | Moon | Savitar | Female Buffalo |
| Uranus | Chitra | 4 | Libra 4° | Mars | Tvashtar | Female Tiger |
| Ascendant | Chitra | 4 | Libra 4° | Mars | Tvashtar | Female Tiger |
| Neptune | Anuradha | 4 | Scorpio 15° | Saturn | Mitra | Female Deer |
| North node | Mula | 2 | Sagittarius 3° | Ketu | Nirrti | Male Dog |
| Moon | Mula | 4 | Sagittarius 10° | Ketu | Nirrti | Male Dog |
| Lilith | Uttara ashadha | 1 | Sagittarius 27° | Sun | Vishvadevas | Female Cow |
| Venus | Uttara ashadha | 2 | Capricorn 2° | Sun | Vishvadevas | Female Cow |
| Jupiter | Dhanishta | 3 | Aquarius 1° | Mars | Vasus | Female Lion |
| Sun | Dhanishta | 4 | Aquarius 4° | Mars | Vasus | Female Lion |
| Mercury | Shatabhisha | 4 | Aquarius 18° | Rahu | Varuna | Female Horse |
| Chiron | Revati | 3 | Pisces 24° | Mercury | Pushan | Male Elephant |
Maha Dasha timeline · 9
| Ruler | Span | Flag |
|---|---|---|
| Ketu | Feb 16, 1974 → Jul 19, 1975 | - |
| Venus | Jul 19, 1975 → Jul 19, 1995 | - |
| Sun | Jul 19, 1995 → Jul 19, 2001 | - |
| Moon | Jul 19, 2001 → Jul 19, 2011 | - |
| Mars | Jul 19, 2011 → Jul 19, 2018 | - |
| Rahu | Jul 19, 2018 → Jul 19, 2036 | Now |
| Jupiter | Jul 19, 2036 → Jul 19, 2052 | - |
| Saturn | Jul 19, 2052 → Jul 19, 2071 | - |
| Mercury | Jul 19, 2071 → Jul 19, 2088 | - |
Antardashas within Rahu
Sub-periods exist only for the running maha dasha; the other eight rows carry none by design, so they show none.
| Ruler | Span |
|---|---|
| Rahu | Jul 19, 2018 → Mar 31, 2021 |
| Jupiter | Mar 31, 2021 → Aug 24, 2023 |
| Saturn | Aug 24, 2023 → Jun 30, 2026 |
| Mercury | Jun 30, 2026 → Jan 17, 2029 |
| Ketu | Jan 17, 2029 → Feb 4, 2030 |
| Venus | Feb 4, 2030 → Feb 4, 2033 |
| Sun | Feb 4, 2033 → Dec 30, 2033 |
| Moon | Dec 30, 2033 → Jul 1, 2035 |
| Mars | Jul 1, 2035 → Jul 19, 2036 |
Ayanamsa: 23.4957 · Dasha system: Vimshottari
Mayan Tzolkin
Kin 28 · Red Moon · Lunar
Muluc · Lunar tone
Full Mayan Tzolkin readingCollapse
Seal & tone
Oracle relations
Guide: not recorded for this kin.
Kin from birth date against the 260-day count, Dreamspell correlation · Seal = kin mod 20, tone = kin mod 13
Numerology
Life Path 3
Full Numerology readingCollapse
Core numbers
Chinese Zodiac
Wood Tiger pairing combines dynamic authority with expansive cultivation
Born in 1974, his sign merges decisive personal magnetism with steady, principled growth.
Full Chinese Zodiac readingCollapse
| Pillar | Stem | Branch |
|---|---|---|
| Year | 甲 | 寅 |
| Month | 丙 | 寅 |
| Day | 戊 | 申 |
| Hour | 壬 | 子 |
Day master
戊 anchors this Four Pillars reading: the Day pillar's Heavenly Stem, and the one value here that never depends on a recorded birth time.
Inner animals
Solar calendar; year boundary at the start of spring, not January 1.
Tarot Birth Cards
The Empress
Full Tarot readingCollapse
The reduction
| Card | Title | Keywords | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personality & Soul | The Empress | abundance, nurturing, fertility, creativity | Generative, nurturing power — growth that comes from care rather than force. |
Year card for 2026 · turns over 1 Jan 2027
Birth-date reduction against the 22 Major Arcana; year card recomputed for the current calendar year at each rebuild
Arabic Parts
Lots, formulas & sensitive points
Full Arabic Parts readingCollapse
Lots on the wheel
Lots · 8
The body and worldly fortune; where material and emotional well-being converge. Reveals how you attract abundance and physical vitality.
The mind and spiritual purpose; the inverse of Fortune. Reveals conscious intent, vocation, and the soul's directional momentum.
Triumph through sustained effort; favorable outcomes earned by aligning ambition with discipline and structure.
Binding obligation and fated constraint; the circumstances that must be endured or worked through rather than chosen.
Reckoning and karmic consequence; the area of life where past choices return to be faced directly.
Desire, passion, and erotic magnetism; where attraction and creative drive merge. Reveals the nature of what you most deeply crave.
Partnership destiny and the nature of committed bonds; reveals the quality and karma of your most significant unions.
Boldness, daring, and the warrior spirit; where you find the nerve to act and the audacity to lead.
Sabian Symbols
A butterfly emerging from a chrysalis marks his exact degree of the Sun
Aquarius 28 degrees reflects structured metamorphosis and patient emergence after prolonged internal incubation.
Sun · Aquarius 28°13'
A butterfly emerging from a chrysalis
Full Sabian readingCollapse
An empty hammock stretched between two trees
"Recuperation"
A vast public park
"Expansion"
A man declared bankrupt
"Reckoning"
A woman feeding chickens and protecting them from the hawks
"Guardianship"
A man in the midst of brightening influences
"Illumination"
Mankind's vast and enduring effort to reach for knowledge transferable from generation to generation
"Legacy"
A golden-haired goddess of opportunity
"Fortune"
A sculptor at his work
"Craftsmanship"
Indians on the warpath. While some men row a well-filled canoe others in it perform a war dance
"Mobilization"
A relay race
"Cooperation"
Pilgrims climbing the steep steps leading to a mountain shrine
"Aspiration"
A hydrometer
"Measurement"
A butterfly emerging from a chrysalis
"Rebirth"
In the sanctuary of an occult brotherhood newly initiated members are being examined and their character tested
"Initiation"
Feng Shui
Kua 7
Favorable: Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, West
Full Feng Shui readingCollapse
Supportive directions
Directions to avoid
Eight Mansions (Ba Zhai) method · Kua number from birth year and gender
The Sage
Ask the Sage about Mahershala Ali
The Sage reads every placement on this page in context. Ask what Mahershala Ali's chart means, or bring your own.
Begin your journeyQuestions about Mahershala Ali's birth chart
What is Mahershala Ali's zodiac sign?
Mahershala Ali's Sun sign is Aquarius.
What is Mahershala Ali's moon and rising sign?
Mahershala Ali has a Capricorn Moon and a Libra rising.
When was Mahershala Ali born?
Mahershala Ali was born on Feb 16, 1974.
How reliable is this birth data?
This chart carries a Rodden rating of AA: the standard scale astrologers use to grade how well-documented a birth time is. Verified by a birth certificate or official record: full chart shown, including houses and the rising sign.
More famous Aquarians
/famous-aquarians →
Sources
Sources & further reading
Birth data
Photo: Photo: Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · CC-BY-SA