A detailed exploration of what Venus retrograde in Scorpio means in birth charts, primarily by looking through 29 different celebrity case studies, with astrologers Skye Barclay and Chris Brennan.
During the episode, we examine not only how this placement manifests natally, but what happened when these figures experienced their 8-year Venus retrograde recurrences. By tracing these transits, we highlight the major turning points, delayed successes, and public reckonings that literally played out in their lives and careers in real time.
Our research uncovered some profound archetypal patterns surrounding what it means for a retrograde planet to be in its detriment. We dive deep into concepts like “struggle love,” the “sympathetic villain,” and the myths of Medusa and Lucifer, exploring how the individuals in our case studies challenged conventional beauty standards, subverted gender norms, and navigated the darker, more taboo facets of Venus.
Skye is the author of an awesome new book titled 2026 Venus Retrograde: A Dance of Daggers & Delights, which you can get in print or PDF on her website:
https://www.skyeastrology.com/venusrx
This is episode 552 of The Astrology Podcast.
Skye’s Website and Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/skye.astrology
Timestamps
00:00:00 Introduction and Skye’s new book on Venus retrograde
00:04:12 Content warning: True crime and heavy themes
00:05:26 Venus in Scorpio: detriment and retrograde
00:09:15 Inga Duncan Thornell and mastectomy tattoos
00:18:24 Gianni Versace and subverting fashion standards
00:28:56 The Medusa myth and the female gaze
00:37:15 Marina Abramovic, endurance art, and prolonged breakups
00:55:44 Ted Bundy, hybristophilia, and manipulation
01:12:09 Penn Badgley and playing the obsessive stalker in You
01:40:25 Jenna Ortega, Scream Queens, and the goth aesthetic
01:48:38 Tom Ellis and the Lucifer fallen angel archetype
01:53:45 Gwendoline Christie, Brienne of Tarth, and gender non-conformity
02:01:34 Demi Moore, The Substance, and delayed awards
02:06:15 Margaret Qualley playing the younger Demi Moore
02:43:34 Jon Stewart, The Daily Show, and satire as subversion
02:53:28 Joe Dante, B-horror movies, and Piranha
02:58:43 Teresa de Lauretis and queer theory
03:05:48 Jessica Valenti, Feministing, and the purity myth
03:14:20 Andrew Tate, toxic masculinity, and the lover boy method
03:21:56 Tonya Harding, ice skating exile, and public scandals
03:40:16 Natalee Holloway and missing persons cases
03:44:00 Oscar Pistorius and sudden downfalls
03:46:13 Ketanji Brown Jackson and writing dissenting opinions
03:51:36 Halsey, identity, and toxic relationships in music
03:58:46 Usher, the R&B loverboy persona, and public scandals
04:04:39 Eve, female MC trailblazers, and delayed Grammys
04:09:50 Drake, vulnerable rap, and the Kendrick Lamar feud
04:18:35 Cary Elwes, The Princess Bride, and Saw
04:24:46 Rachel McAdams, Mean Girls, and The Notebook
04:34:02 Emilia Clarke, Kit Harington, and Game of Thrones
04:44:38 Matt Damon and the archetype of returning home
04:58:43 Final thoughts and where to find Skye’s work
Watch the Video Version of This Episode
Listen to the Audio Version of This Episode
Listen to the audio version of this episode or download it as an MP3:
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 5:03:57 — 279.3MB)