R29 babes, as January continues to unfold, we’re actually being gifted something rare: a full breathing period. Since the Cancer Full Moon on January 3rd, this week arrives without major planetary transits, creating space to integrate rather than react. While we may still feel the emotional residue of that Full Moon for the first few days, the intensity begins to soften, allowing us to land more fully in the present moment. A lot has been released: old fears, lingering heartbreaks, repetitive worries, longings we’ve outgrown, and now we’re being asked to root ourselves in what’s here now. With the sun, Mercury, Venus, and Mars all in Capricorn, the cosmos is firmly Earth-coded, encouraging steadiness, embodiment, and follow-through.

That said, a heavy Capricorn emphasis comes with its own shadow. This much discipline and structure can make some signs take life, or themselves, a little too seriously. The good news is that the moon begins the week in Leo (January 4th–early January 6th), injecting warmth, confidence, and creative flair into an otherwise focused landscape. There’s a desire to be seen, to express, to play a little, even while handling responsibilities. Then, from January 6th through January 8th, the moon moves through Virgo, harmonizing beautifully with the Capricorn stellium. This is prime time for intentional action, organization, and tending to the details that actually move the needle. The gift here is falling in love with the process: doing the “mundane” things with care and purpose. The caution? Don’t let perfectionism keep you stuck in editing mode. Progress matters more than polish.

As the week winds down, the moon enters Libra, shifting the energy toward connection, beauty, and harmony. After days of self-focus and productivity, we’re reminded that life isn’t just about getting things done — it’s about sharing experiences, creating art, and nurturing relationships. This is a lovely way to close out a post–Full Moon week: lighter, more relational, more heart-centered. Enjoy the structure Capricorn season offers, but leave room for pleasure and play. Discipline works best when it’s balanced with joy.

Read your horoscopes for your Sun and Rising signs for the most in-depth forecast.

Aries Sun & Rising:

Aries, this week feels like a rare moment where no one is yelling “pivot” at you from the universe. This week you get to settle into the heavy Capricorn energy that’s been building in your career, reputation, and legacy sector. Think less chaos, more quiet confidence. You may notice yourself caring less about instant gratification and more about long-term impact: updating your résumé, refining a pitch, cleaning up your LinkedIn, or simply asking, “Is this the version of me I want people to remember?” The vibe is mature, focused, and surprisingly calming. The advice here: don’t rush to make dramatic moves. This is a week for consistency, follow-through, and showing yourself that you can trust your own discipline.

The mood shifts subtly as the week unfolds. The Leo Moon (Jan 4th–early Jan 6th) lights up your creativity and pleasure zone, making it easier to enjoy what you’re working toward — this could look like rewarding yourself after a productive day or flirting with a passion project just for fun. Midweek, the Virgo Moon (Jan 6th–8th) brings you back to earth, activating your work and wellness sector. Suddenly you’re deep-cleaning, organizing your calendar, or finally doing the thing you’ve been procrastinating (yes, that email). The key is not nitpicking yourself into paralysis… done is better than perfect.

By the weekend, the Libra Moon activates your relationship sector, shifting the focus to connection. Plans feel sweeter, conversations flow more easily, and you’re reminded that success hits harder when it’s shared. The move this week? Build the future and enjoy the process. Both can coexist.

Taurus Sun & Rising:

Taurus, this week feels like a long exhale. You’re able to settle into the Capricorn-dominant energy activating your growth, learning, and long-term vision sector. Instead of feeling rushed, you’re moving with intention: reading, researching, planning, or quietly reorienting your life toward something that feels more meaningful. This could look like committing to a course, mapping out a future trip, or revisiting a belief you’ve outgrown. The vibe isn’t loud; it’s steady. The advice here is simple: trust the slow build. You don’t need immediate proof that you’re on the right path — clarity comes from staying present and curious.

The emotional tone shifts as the moon changes signs throughout the week. The Leo Moon (Jan 4th–early Jan 6th) activates your home and comfort zone, making you crave coziness: cooking something indulgent, staying in, or reconnecting with family. Midweek, the Virgo Moon (Jan 6th–8th) lights up your creativity and romance sector, putting you in the mood to make something beautiful or enjoy someone’s company without overthinking it. This is great energy for dating, art, or pleasure, as long as you don’t turn fun into a performance review.

By the weekend, the Libra Moon shifts focus to your routines and well-being. You may feel motivated to reset your schedule, move your body, or make your daily life feel more balanced. The takeaway: this week rewards you for honoring both comfort and growth… no extremes required.

Gemini Sun & Rising:

Gemini, this week feels like mental relief you didn’t realize you were craving. This week you get to settle into the Capricorn-heavy energy activating your intimacy, shared resources, and emotional depth sector. Translation: fewer distractions, more clarity. You might find yourself calmly sorting out finances, having grown-up conversations about boundaries, or finally sitting with feelings you usually talk your way around. It’s not dramatic… it’s steady. The vibe is “I can handle this,” not “I need to figure everything out right now.” The advice here is to lean into depth without spiraling. You don’t have to solve every emotional mystery this week — just be honest with yourself.

As the moon shifts signs, your focus follows. The Leo Moon (Jan 4th–early Jan 6th) activates your communication zone, making you extra expressive — texts are flowing, ideas are popping, and conversations feel energizing. Midweek, the Virgo Moon (Jan 6th–8th) rounds you back into home and emotional basics. You might clean, reorganize, or suddenly care a lot about your environment feeling calm and functional. Try not to nitpick yourself or others… peace beats perfection.

By the weekend, the Libra Moon lights up your creativity and romance sector, reminding you that connection and pleasure matter too. Plans feel lighter, flirting feels easier, and joy doesn’t need a thesis statement. This week’s win? Balancing depth with delight — and realizing you’re actually really good at that.

Cancer Sun & Rising:

Cancer, this week brings a much-needed sense of emotional steadiness. You’re able to settle into the Capricorn-heavy energy activating your partnership and commitment sector. Things feel less raw than they did around the Full Moon, and more… workable. You may notice yourself thinking clearly about relationships — romantic, professional, or personal — without getting swept away by emotion. This could look like calmly renegotiating expectations, recognizing who’s consistent versus who’s just loud, or realizing you don’t need to fix everything to feel secure. The advice here is to let stability be enough. Not every relationship needs a breakthrough moment; some just need consistency.

As the moon moves through the week, your emotional focus shifts gently. The Leo Moon (Jan 4th–early Jan 6th) highlights money and self-worth, making you more aware of what feels valuable — this could be budgeting, charging your worth, or simply treating yourself without guilt. Midweek, the Virgo Moon (Jan 6th–8th) activates your communication sector, making it a great time for honest conversations, journaling, or clearing the air in a low-drama way. Just watch the tendency to over-explain; simple truths land best.

By the weekend, the Libra Moon draws your attention home, encouraging rest, comfort, and emotional balance. The vibe is soft, relational, and grounding. This week reminds you that peace isn’t boring… it’s healing.

Leo Sun & Rising:

Leo, this week feels like getting your footing back without needing applause. You’re able to settle into the Capricorn-heavy energy activating your work, routines, and wellness sector. Translation: things feel manageable again. You may find satisfaction in showing up consistently: getting through your to-do list, improving a habit, or finally creating a schedule that doesn’t exhaust you. This isn’t flashy progress, but it’s real. The advice here is to stop waiting for motivation and let momentum do the work. Small, repeatable actions are quietly rebuilding your confidence.

The emotional rhythm of the week shifts with the moon. The Leo Moon (Jan 4th–early Jan 6th) puts you back in your body; confidence returns, energy lifts, and you remember why you’re the main character. Midweek, the Virgo Moon (Jan 6th–8th) asks you to get practical about money and self-worth: budgeting, organizing, or finally charging what you’re worth. Don’t spiral into self-critique… precision beats perfection.

By the weekend, the Libra Moon lights up your communication and social zone, making plans feel easy and conversations flow. Say yes to connection, keep it light, and remember: balance is the flex this week.

Virgo Sun & Rising:

Virgo, this week feels like a reward for all the emotional labor you’ve already done. You’re able to sink into the Capricorn-heavy energy activating your creativity, pleasure, and self-expression sector. This is a surprisingly sweet spot for you. Instead of overanalyzing what comes next, you’re more present with what’s already working, whether that’s a creative project, a romantic connection, or simply a sense of joy you don’t feel the need to justify. The advice here is to let yourself enjoy things without immediately turning them into an improvement plan. You don’t need to optimize happiness. You’re allowed to experience it.

The week’s emotional flow mirrors that grounded ease. The Leo Moon (Jan 4th–early Jan 6th) lights up your rest and inner world, making it a great time to recharge, reflect, or move a little slower without guilt. Midweek, the Virgo Moon (Jan 6th–8th) lands in your sign, putting you back in your body and your power. You may feel more focused, capable, and motivated to handle practical matters… just don’t let perfectionism hijack the moment. Progress to perfect.

By the weekend, the Libra Moon shifts attention to your money and values sector, encouraging balance around spending, earning, and self-worth. This week’s win is simple but big: you’re learning how to be productive and fulfilled at the same time.

Libra Sun & Rising:

Libra, this week feels like emotional breathing room you didn’t know you needed. With no major transits shaking the table, you get to settle into the Capricorn-heavy energy activating your home, family, and inner foundation sector. Life slows down in a good way. You may find yourself nesting, reorganizing your space, or craving quiet moments that help you feel grounded again. This isn’t about isolation — it’s about recalibrating your nervous system. The advice here is to stop overcommitting out of politeness. You don’t owe everyone access to you right now. Stability is the vibe, and you’re allowed to choose it.

The week unfolds gently as the moon moves signs. The Leo Moon (Jan 4th–early Jan 6th) brings social energy and reminds you that friendship can feel nourishing when it’s low-pressure — think casual hangs, group chats, or creative collaboration. Midweek, the Virgo Moon (Jan 6th–8th) nudges you inward, activating your rest and reflection zone. You may feel more introspective or tired than usual; honor that instead of fighting it.

By the weekend, the Libra Moon lands in your sign, and suddenly you’re back in your element: balanced, magnetic, and ready to connect. Plans feel sweeter, conversations flow, and you remember why harmony is your superpower. The win this week? Letting rest fuel your glow up.

Scorpio Sun & Rising:

Scorpio, this week gives you a strong sense of clarity, and you’re using it well. Now that the Cancer full moon has passed, you’re able to settle into the Capricorn-heavy energy activating your communication, thinking, and decision-making sector. Your mind feels organized, strategic, and less reactive than usual. This is a great week for planning, writing, negotiating, or finally saying what you’ve been holding back, without turning it into a whole thing. You may notice yourself choosing precision over intensity, which honestly works in your favor right now. The advice here is to trust the calm. You don’t need to force breakthroughs; steady progress is doing the work for you.

As the moon shifts, your focus follows in a very natural rhythm. The Leo Moon (Jan 4th–early Jan 6th) highlights your career and visibility, making it easier to be seen, take up space, or handle professional matters with confidence. Midweek, the Virgo Moon (Jan 6th–8th) activates your friendships and long-term goals, nudging you to reconnect with people who actually get you, or to refine a vision you’re building toward. Don’t over-edit yourself here; collaboration doesn’t require perfection.

By the weekend, the Libra Moon draws you inward, encouraging rest, reflection, and emotional detox. This week’s magic lies in balance: speak clearly, act intentionally, and give yourself quiet time to recharge.

Sagittarius Sun & Rising:

Sagittarius, this week feels like your nervous system finally unclenches. You get to settle into the Capricorn-heavy energy activating your money, stability, and self-worth sector. Instead of feeling restricted, you’re realizing that structure equals freedom. This is a great week for budgeting without spiraling, making a realistic plan, or committing to something that supports you long-term (not just emotionally, but materially). You might catch yourself thinking, “Oh… this actually makes me feel safer.” The advice here is to stay present with the process. You don’t need to leap ahead… consistency is quietly working in your favor.

The emotional tone shifts as the moon moves through the sky. The Leo Moon (Jan 4th–early Jan 6th) activates your big-picture, adventure-loving side, making you crave inspiration: reading something stimulating, planning a future trip, or having conversations that expand your perspective. Midweek, the Virgo Moon (Jan 6th–8th) brings you back to reality, spotlighting career responsibilities and asking you to show up professionally and thoughtfully. Don’t overthink it; competence speaks for itself.

By the weekend, the Libra Moon highlights your friendships and community, reminding you that connection fuels motivation. The win this week? Balancing vision with follow-through, and realizing you don’t have to choose one or the other.

Capricorn Sun & Rising:

Capricorn, this week feels like home turf. With no major transits disrupting the flow, you’re able to fully settle into the Capricorn-heavy energy activating your identity, body, and sense of self. Sun, Mercury, Venus, and Mars in your sign is giving grounded confidence, not chaos. You’re not scrambling — you’re embodying. This is the kind of week where progress looks like showing up consistently, honoring your boundaries, and trusting that you don’t need to prove anything right now. The advice here is to resist the urge to over-manage everything. You don’t need to control the outcome when you’re already aligned with the process.

As the moon moves through the week, your focus softens and expands. The Leo Moon (Jan 4th–early Jan 6th) activates your intimacy and shared-resources sector, bringing emotional depth — this could look like a real conversation, a money check-in, or letting someone support you instead of doing it all yourself. Midweek, the Virgo Moon (Jan 6th–8th) harmonizes beautifully with your sign, lighting up your growth and perspective sector. This is prime energy for planning, learning, or reconnecting with a long-term vision that excites you.

By the weekend, the Libra Moon shifts attention to your career and visibility, making it a great time to step out, be seen, or share your work—without forcing it. The win this week? Leading by example, not exhaustion.

Aquarius Sun & Rising:

Aquarius, this week feels like intentional invisibility… and that’s a good thing. Now that the Cancer full moon is waning, you’re able to sink into the Capricorn-heavy energy activating your rest, subconscious, and behind-the-scenes sector. This is not a week for loud moves or announcements. It’s a week for tying loose ends, clearing mental clutter, and letting yourself decompress after an emotionally full start to the year. You might be journaling more, sleeping deeper, or realizing what you’re simply no longer available for. The advice here is to stop judging this phase as “unproductive.” Rest is strategic right now. You’re conserving energy for what’s coming next.

As the Moon shifts, so does your internal focus. The Leo Moon (Jan 4th–early Jan 6th) highlights your relationship sector, bringing moments of connection or reflection around how you show up with others: this could be a heart-to-heart or just noticing who feels easy to be around. Midweek, the Virgo Moon (Jan 6th–8th) draws attention to emotional depth, shared resources, and energetic boundaries. You may want to organize finances, release emotional baggage, or have an honest internal check-in. Don’t overanalyze… just observe.

By the weekend, the Libra Moon lifts your gaze outward, activating your big-picture and inspiration zone. You’re reminded that this quiet week has purpose: it’s clearing space so you can re-enter the world refreshed, aligned, and ready to be seen again.

Pisces Sun & Rising:

Pisces, this week feels like a soft reset that actually sticks. With no major transits stirring emotional waves, you’re able to settle into the Capricorn-heavy energy activating your friendships, community, and long-term goals sector. This is about the future you’re building, and who’s building it with you. You may feel drawn to reconnect with people who feel solid, dependable, and aligned, while naturally drifting away from dynamics that thrive on confusion or emotional labor. The advice here is to trust your discernment. Wanting reliability doesn’t make you boring; it means you’re serious about creating a life that supports you.

The emotional rhythm of the week flows gently as the moon changes signs. The Leo Moon (Jan 4th–early Jan 6th) brings attention to your daily routines and well-being, reminding you that how you treat your body and time matters more than grand gestures. Midweek, the Virgo Moon (Jan 6th–8th) lights up your partnership sector, making it a good moment for honest, grounded conversations — romantic or professional — about expectations and balance. Keep it simple; clarity is kindness.

By the weekend, the Libra Moon draws you inward, activating emotional intimacy and healing. You may crave deeper connection or quiet reflection rather than surface-level plans. This week’s gift is subtle but powerful: you’re learning that stability and sensitivity don’t cancel each other out… they work best together.

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What Does The Winter Solstice Mean For You?

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This is a clear picture of the moon taken with a long zoom lens with the milky way in the background

The supermoon kicks off 2026 on the right foot for us all! Mark your calendars: January 3rd brings the Super Full Wolf Moon in the sign of Cancer. As the first Full Moon of the new year, this is a magnificent time to make a list of what no longer serves us, protecting our peace and what we want to attain in 2026. It is essential to focus on what genuinely will propel us forward and fill us up on a spiritual level. 2025 was draining and exhausting in many ways, which is why this lunation is an excellent time for us to embark on a new journey and bring in positivity, rather than dwelling.  

This supermoon is closer to earth than previous ones, allowing us to feel the lunar frequency more intensely. As you may recall, a supermoon happens when the earth is positioned in perigee to the moon. The proximity allows us to experience the Full Moon in an in-depth manner, as it appears to be brighter and more illuminating than other lunations.  

The moon thrives when it’s in the sign Cancer. Since the Full Moon is dignified and urging us to center our hearts on intimate areas, it serves as a reminder to focus on our homes, families, relationships, friendships, and ourselves. We are figuring out who and what we are giving our emotional labor to. Are we willing to get out of our comfort zones and begin a new era? If so, what does that look like for our futures? More importantly, what does that feel like in the present situations?  

Let’s break down the astrology of the supermoon. Affectionate Venus and temperamental Mars in Capricorn oppose the moon, escalating our moodiness and sentiments. Our patience is going to be tested because Mars has no chill and tends to thrust us toward impulsivity. Venus creates a push-and-pull dynamic with the moon, heightening tension around our insecurities and instincts. We are reacting to what we are acquiring from others. Keep in mind, we get what we give. So, be sure to create an environment that works best for you. The days of putting the needs of others are behind us; we are looking to uplift our auras. The most significant and meaningful relationship is the one we have with ourselves. Therefore, we should give ourselves grace and compassion as we head to a place of safety and security on all levels.  

The karmic Nodes of Destiny on the Pisces and Virgo axis offer us compelling choices for change. We will be torn between two different (or possibly more) directions, asking us whether we want to repeat the same old situations or move into the new ones. Consider the obligations you’ve carried and the version of yourself you’re releasing. If you aren’t ready or fearful to walk into the unknown, then perhaps you should take cautionary steps. The decision is yours, but a fresh start is possible. Listen to your heart and lead with your intuition.  

The sun and Venus are coming together to form a conjunction in Capricorn on January 6th. Known as Venus Star Point, a term coined by astrologer Arielle Guttman, this marks a pivotal moment for relationships, self-confidence, and trendsetting. Furthermore, the Venus Star Point reflects the social climate we’re experiencing and sets the vibe for 2026. Take a look at what was happening four years before and before that, then another four years, and so on, to see the themes that will arise at this time. The next day, Venus and Mars align in Capricorn, heightening the energy of the Full Moon and Venus Star Point, pushing us to take additional action on the intentions set on January 3rd. 

The Quadrantid (located near the Big Dipper) meteor shower coincides with this lunation. The magical, yet short-lived and intense celestial spark occurs every year at the beginning of January. The “fireballs” brightly light up the sky in rapid motion, offering us a beautiful landscape to gaze upon. We’ll literally wish upon a star and enchant our lives with greatness. This is another reminder from the universe to stay present and acknowledge the beauty that surrounds us as well as within our spirit. 

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What Does The Winter Solstice Mean For You?

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Welcome to “What’s Good,” a column where we break down what’s soothing, distracting, or just plain good in Hollywood with a “rooting for everybody Black” energy. These are the best onscreen performances of 2025 by Black performers. 

The headline of my end-of-year column hasn’t changed since I started compiling the best of the best in film a few years ago. The Best Performances of 2025 are Black, just like they were in 2024 and 2023, and so on. Black performers consistently raise the bar. They are great because they have to be, and especially in a year when we saw Hollywood roll back DEI commitments and descend into a hellscape where Black actors had to defend themselves from being called “DEI hires” for simply working while Black, these performances cut through the noise and let the work speak for itself. 

In 2025, there were so many Black performers who met the challenge of being excellent in the face of an industry that is actively trying to erase them. They took the gravity (or levity) of their material and elevated what was on the page to make it even better. In a year that tested us all — seriously, we barely survived — through their work these artists gave us so much, a reprieve from the hellscape of our social feeds and portrayals of the human experience that revealed a little more about ourselves. Every awards season, I remind you that while we’ve long since divested from the gatekeeping archaic institutions that consistently exclude Black folks from legacy awards, giving recognition where it’s due still matters. 

When Sinners was undoubtedly (when it came to box office performance and cultural impact) the movie of the year, and yet still is left off of multiple (white) critics’ year-end lists and awards predictions, it’s more and more evident that we need to uplift our own (let’s not forget that winning an NAACP Image Award should be just as big of an honor as getting an Oscar). We must acknowledge the best Black performances beyond the one or two actors that legacy awards deem worthy of being their annual token, albeit deserved, inclusions. We refuse to settle for crumbs. We get to exist in a timeline where a multitude of Black artistic expressions are celebrated. ‘Tis the season to look back on the best of the best of the year and the best, as always, is Black as hell — whether they get accolades from certain governing bodies or not.

These are the performances I’ve been yelling at you about all year. So, here is my exhaustive, definitive, and still not long enough list of 2025’s best Black film performances. 

Michael B. Jordan, Sinners 

Five years ago, I wrote a piece called “Shouldn’t Michael B. Jordan Have An Oscar Nomination By Now?.” In it, I argued that Jordan was long overdue for a nomination for an Academy Award. In 2020, the MBJ role in contention was his performance as real-life social justice lawyer Bryan Stevenson in Just Mercy. Despite being one of the most famous, talented, bankable heartthrobs in Hollywood, he hasn’t garnered the same accolades his contemporaries of past generations had at his age (see DiCaprio, Damon, Cruise, Pitt). It may be five years late, but Jordan is finally in contention for a Best Actor nod for his portrayal of Smoke and Stack, the prodigal twins of Sinners. I bring up Jordan’s awards chances not because I think a nomination or win would impact the quality of his work, but because after these performances, he deserves every accolade available to him in this industry. As Smoke and Stack, Jordan shows off range many of his detractors will swear he doesn’t have. In each scene, with a tilt of his head or the looseness of his swagger, Jordan carves out each twin’s mannerisms uniquely enough that you are rooting for Smoke while holding your breath waiting for Stack to mess things up, and subtly enough that it’s clear the brothers are inseparable and to an untrained eye, sometimes indecipherable. 

It takes a lot of skill to carry an ambitious masterpiece like Sinners. And to put it simply, the film does not work without the precision and thoughtfulness of Jordan’s performances. We’ve been watching him grow as an actor since he was coming of age in All My Children, The Wire, and Friday Night Lights, to young powerhouse showings in Fruitvale Station and Creed. Then, there were the bonafide blockbusters in Creed II and Black Panther. Jordan has proven — repeatedly –  that he’s earned his status as a Movie Star. Sinners is proof he’s done something so many of his peers only dream of: reached his potential and surpassed it.

Cynthia Erivo, Wicked: For Good 

Yes, I am one of the few critics who actually liked Wicked: For Good. I stand by my review of the film, which argued that while the movie is the weaker half in the two-part adaptation of the Broadway musical, it did right by its source material and delivered a thrilling, emotional, and endearing conclusion. And about Erivo, who is undoubtedly the best Elphaba of all time, I wrote, “many headlines about Wicked: For Good have focused on Ariana Grande, and while it’s true she is great in this sequel and that it’s more Glinda’s movie than Elphaba’s, Erivo is still firing on all cylinders, delivering a timeless performance that is also worthy of unadulterated praise. Throughout Wicked: For Good, Elphaba goes from fugitive freedom fighter, to heartbroken friend and exasperated sister, to frustrated revolutionary, to lover in mourning, to resigned martyr. It’s a depressing arc that sees the optimism of progressivism dashed with a big dose of witch-melting water. The simplicity of the message — that doing good comes at a cost, that no matter your intentions, things don’t always work in your favor, and that facism may take on a new face but it’s an ever-present threat — is the point.” 

The Wicked instalments are going to go down in history as two of the biggest movies of this decade, if not the century, and that will largely be because Cynthia Erivo gave us an unforgettable and undeniable Elphaba.

Tessa Thompson, Hedda 

Not to keep quoting myself but this is what I wrote about Hedda in my review back in October: “Set in 1950s England, as the party devolves into shambles — mostly orchestrated by Hedda herself — Hedda goes from a simmering conversation about what happens to a woman bound by her circumstances to a sexy psychological thriller about class, power, and ambition. As the events of the evening unfold, Hedda becomes more and more quietly unhinged and Tessa Thompson is so magnetic, oozing with charisma, that you can’t look away and you can’t help but root for one of the messiest women in cinematic history. I like to think of this column as my own Oscars. The Academy is going to deem their own “best of the best” come March 2026, and while Tessa Thompson’s name should definitely be on that ballot, in this space, I get to say what’s the best of the year and I am telling you — unequivocally — that Hedda is one of the best films and performances of the past year. Period.” 

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Wunmi Mosaku, Sinners 

As mentioned above, Sinners is Michael B. Jordan’s showcase. But it’s more than just a vehicle for MBJ’s movie stardom or a Southern gothic horror flick like it’s been billed. It is that, but it’s also an enthusiastic musical, a consequential period drama, and an earnest romance. It’s the latter that piqued my interest the most, and its execution is swoon-inducing. I already knew Wunmi Mosaku was a star, but in this role, she’s assertive, luminous and so damn sexy. Annie is the heart of Sinners. She’s also its hero.  “I like to think of Annie as Smoke’s other other half, like Stack is,” Mosaku said when we interviewed her in April. “Stack is one side of him, but Annie is another side of him. She’s his protector, lover, mother, safe place. She is his sanctuary.” Annie’s knowledge of the spiritual world also saves everyone’s — including Smoke’s — asses. “She moves with purpose. She moves with strength and power. She has such an anchored spirit and is so in tune with the other stuff that we can’t see or feel or hear. She sees and feels and hears it.”

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Ayo Edebiri, After The Hunt

I’m ready to be right about After The Hunt. It might take a few years, but I swear this film will outlive its discourse. The Luca Guadagnino-directed drama documents a moment in time — a disturbing, delicate, and awkward moment in time, one that we are still navigating. And for better or worse, shouldn’t we have art that reflects these times? That’s what I wrote at the time of the film’s release and I stand by it: “With time, After The Hunt may hold up as a page to be read in the chapter of this so-called cultural reckoning. Think of it as a sleek and uncomfortable time capsule of the past half decade of #MeToo discourse, or as a character study of flawed intellectuals desperately attempting to perform their values while clinging to the facade of their respective identities. Or, as Ayo Edebiri told me, After The Hunt is a “Rorschach test” that interrogates your discomfort.

And it’s in that discomfort where Edebiri and the rest of the cast (Andrew Garfield and Julia Roberts are both excellent as usual) shine. If you’ve seen The Bear or Bottoms, you know Edebiri is a star who can play awkward better than anyone. It was this role that reminded me that she’s going to be around for a very long time. Going toe-to-toe with icon Roberts without flinching and sparring effortlessly with Oscar nominee Garfield, Edebiri in After The Hunt is one of those star-making performances that we’ll look back on in awe.

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David Jonsson, The Long Walk

David Jonsson doesn’t get enough credit for being one of the most exciting and talented working actors of his generation. I officially fell in love with him in Rye Lane, one of the best rom-coms of the past decade, and this year, he showed versatility and depth in his choices. In The Long Walk, Jonsson anchors the film’s brutal premise: a near-future America where teenage boys volunteer for a televised endurance contest that demands they keep walking above the minimum speed or face lethal consequences. Jonsson’s performance is achingly vulnerable. As the miles stack up and the rules tighten (three warnings, then you’re shot), Jonsson charts the slow erosion of bravado into something far more fragile.

As realization sets in that survival isn’t just about strong legs, it’s about memory, friendship, and the will to keep choosing the next step, Jonsson is especially magnetic in the quieter stretches, trading jokes with fellow walkers (and delivering electric chemistry with Cooper Hoffman) at dawn, bargaining with himself as the road narrows, and letting grief and resolve flicker across his face when the crowd’s cheers turn hollow. Rather than leaning into the spectacle of the contest, Jonsson makes the walk feel personal. With each warning comes a small heartbreak and each mile an excruciating decision. grounding the dystopia in intimacy and reminding us that the most powerful performances don’t outrun the story; they walk straight through it.

Naomi Ackie, Mickey 17

It’s still baffling to me that Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17 flopped because it’s so weird and wonderful, and the kind of original movie from one of the greatest living directors that we need more of. But I refuse to let people forget about Naomi Ackie’s performance as Nasha, the love interest to Pattinson’s aloof Mickey. Nasha is wild, extremely weird, and an enforcer in a futuristic universe where civilian space travel to another planet sets it apart from our current reality, but a psychotic tyrannical politician with a god complex (Mark Ruffalo’s Kenneth Marshall) makes it feel eerily familiar.

Here’s what I wrote back in March: “While Mickey 17 is, by all accounts, a showcase of Pattinson’s unquantifiable talent, it’s also a stunning display of how reliably formidable Naomi Ackie is. She’s one of the brightest talents working right now, and the weirder she gets, the more wonderful it is to watch. Mickey is clueless, compliant, and a bit dense. Nasha is clever, confident, and fearless. Nasha could easily be relegated to a girlfriend-of-the-hero stereotype, a disposable plot device, but in Bong’s script, she’s assertive, motivated, and layered. And in Ackie’s hands, Nasha leaps off the page and dazzles on screen.”

Damson Idris, F1

After captivating audiences as Franklin Saint in Snowfall, Damson Idris had cemented himself as a young actor to watch in Hollywood. He shifted gears — literally — into high-octane territory with his leading role in F1, the Formula 1 racing film from director Joseph Kosinski and co-starring Brad Pitt. I didn’t love F1, but it was one of the biggest movies of the year and the things that do work about the film are thanks in large part to Idris, who brings charisma and surprising vulnerability to his portrayal of hotshot driver Joshua Pierce.

Whether he’s embodying a South Central kingpin or donning a racing suit opposite Hollywood heavyweights, Idris brings depth, precision, and a quiet confidence that continues to set him apart. And as Unbothered’s very own Christa Eduafo found out when she sat down with him earlier this year in New York City, the actor is well aware that his Black female fanbase bet big on Damson Idris stock early. And with F1, it’s clear our investment has paid off.

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Chase Infiniti, Teyana Taylor & Regina Hall, One Battle After Another 

The Black women characters in One Battle After Another have elicited divisive responses. Some critics have written off Teyana Taylor’s Perfidia Beverly Hills as a sexualized stereotype with limited screen time and an underdeveloped character arc. In her Black Girl Watching Substack, Brooke Obie writes, “Black women are little more than props and plot devices” and that “[director Paul Thomas] Anderson isn’t commenting on the white male fetishization of Black women, he’s directly participating in it.” While Angelica Jade Bastien for Vulture says, “The Black women of the film are lightning rods for the most forceful conversations the film can bear, and it’s thrilling to watch them embody what Anderson’s script can only loosely hold.”

There’s a lot to say about how Paul Thomas Anderson depicts Perfidia, Chase Infiniti’s Willa, and Regina Hall’s Deandra (I agree mostly with both Obie and Bastien and their reviews are required supplementary reading material post-watch of OBAA), but of all the critiques of the execution of the lofty ideas of revolution that PTA puts forth in the film, nothing negative can be said about the performances given by these three enigmatic actors. Infiniti is the breakout of the film, playing an almost grown up Willa (the daughter of DiCaprio’s Pat and Taylor’s Perfidia) with quiet resolve and appropriate teen angst. It’s one of the most stunning breakout performances I’ve ever seen and Infiniti should have her pick of roles in the aftermath of this movie’s success.

As for Hall and Taylor, we knew how talented they were — though in different mediums: Taylor as an artist, dancer, and creative director and Hall as a comedic genius. In this film, even if I wish the material lived up to their efforts, both are able to showcase their abilities to give grounding, affecting, dramatic performances. Deandra and Perfidia are in conversation with each other, showing two sides of how to be a revolutionary, and Hall and Taylor’s performances are striking. While Perfidia is loud, brash, emotional, reckless, and boisterous, Deandra is methodical, focused, and intentional. One Battle After Another has been hailed as PTA’s greatest masterpiece and don’t get me wrong, I do think the movie is a triumph, but let’s be clear on why it’s great: Chase Infiniti, Teyana Taylor and Regina Hall.

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Edi Gathegi, Superman

Superman was one of my favorite movies of the year. And while the main cast trio of David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, and Nicholas Hoult, Edi Gathegi’s Mister Terrific was a surprising delight. Mister Terrific emerges as one of Superman’s smartest anchors, threading intellect through a story preoccupied with power, trust, and what the world expects its heroes to be. As the film tracks Clark Kent navigating a public increasingly skeptical of Superman’s unchecked strength — while Lex Luthor’s machinations test the limits of truth, tech, and influence — Gathegi’s Mister Terrific operates in the grey area where ethics meet engineering. He’s the one parsing data while everyone else argues optics, designing solutions as Superman wrestles with the cost of being a symbol.

Mister Terrific is decisive, grounding the film’s big ideals in method and consequence. Gathegi plays him as a moral mathematician, weighing outcomes with calm authority, so when the plot pivots from spectacle to strategy, his presence feels essential. It’s a performance that could have easily gone unnoticed, but Gathegi makes it unforgettable.

Andre Holland, Love, Brooklyn

Andre Holland gives Rachael Abigail Holder’s Love, Brooklyn its bruised, beating heart, turning a deceptively small story about dating in the city into something quietly expansive. As Roger, a writer drifting between relationships, neighborhoods, and versions of himself, Holland captures the ache of romantic limbo with a performance that’s all soft edges and sharp self-awareness.

The film unfolds across intimate Brooklyn spaces — apartments that feel borrowed, late-night conversations that blur into morning, chance encounters that reopen old wounds — as Roger navigates his lingering bond with his ex (Nicole Beharie) and a tentative new connection (DeWanda Wise). Holland plays these emotional crosscurrents with exquisite restraint, letting hesitation, guilt, and longing flicker across his face before a single word lands. What makes his work so compelling is how deeply he understands the film’s thesis: that love isn’t always about grand declarations, but about timing, honesty, and the courage to stop hiding in the in-between. In Holland’s hands, Roger is funny, charming, frustrating, and achingly recognizable; he’s a man learning, step by step, how to choose presence over comfort. Holland doesn’t get enough credit for consistently delivering devastating and entertaining performances.

Susan Chardy, On Becoming A Guinea Fowl 

Susan Chardy gives On Becoming a Guinea Fowl its emotional spine, guiding us through Rungano Nyoni’s darkly surreal reckoning with family silence and collective denial. As Shula, Chardy moves through the aftermath of her uncle’s sudden death — discovered on a roadside at night — and the elaborate funeral rituals that follow, where aunties organize, gossip circulates, and everyone seems determined to smooth over the past rather than confront it.

While the film slips between realism and dreamlike interludes (guinea fowl skittering through memory, musical detours that feel like pressure valves), Chardy remains piercingly grounded, registering the weight of long-buried truths about abuse and complicity without ever spelling them out. Watch how she listens at the kitchen table, how her stillness cuts through the noise of ceremony, how her face hardens almost imperceptibly as the cost of silence becomes clear. Chardy doesn’t just play a woman at a funeral, she embodies the exhaustion of being awake in a room determined to keep sleeping, making Shula’s quiet resistance the film’s most radical act.

Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Eternity

After Da’Vine Joy Randolph won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for The Holdovers, I was so excited to see her move into starring roles that were worthy of her talent. Playing secondary to Miles Teller in a rom-com starring Elizabeth Olsen wasn’t exactly what I had in mind. But Eternity surprised me, and Randolph is exceptional in it. This is what I wrote about the film last month: “Anna, the character, could easily fall into the magical negro trope, a one-note sidekick there in service of the white lead, but in Randolph’s hands (and thanks to her hysterical dynamic with Joan’s AC Ryan played by John Early), she’s more than that. Anna is the film’s constant comedic relief, and she’s also its moral center, a grounding force that’s there to remind Larry of the life he built with Joan for decades, while making us laugh repeatedly. That’s the power of Da’Vine Joy Randolph.”

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Delroy Lindo & Miles Caton in Sinners

I couldn’t end this list without mentioning Delroy Lindo and Miles Caton in Sinners. These two performances — one by a seasoned actor who has a career full of riveting characters, and the other by a brand new talent whose future is so blindingly bright — are just as integral to the success of Sinners as Jordan’s portrayal of Smoke and Stack or Mosaku’s Annie.

Lindo plays Delta Slim, a boozy blues musician who reluctantly agrees to play at the twins new juke joint. Caton’s Sammie is an aspiring musician who is eager to join his cousin in their new business venture. Both are at opposite ends of their musical pursuits, just like Caton and Lindo are at very different moments in their careers. But both characters are bound by their love of the blues, and their allegiance to their communities. While Sammie is naive, impatient, and yearning for adulthood, Delta Slim is wise, heedless yeet unflappable, and the surprising steady voice when the juke joint descends into chaos.

In a perfect world, both Lindo and Caton would be swatting away awards for these performances, but whether or not they are showered with the praise and accolades they deserve, both actors gave two of the most exhilarating performances on screen in 2025.

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Cosmic beings, we’ve made it to January 2026. And this isn’t just another new year…it’s a true reset. Numerologically, 2026 adds up to a 1, the number of beginnings, initiation, and fresh cycles. On a collective level, this is the kind of year astrologers talk about decades later. Saturn and Neptune both re-enter Aries this year — Saturn for two years, Neptune for over a decade. Aries is the very first sign of the zodiac. This is the ignition point. The spark. And by February, we’ll also enter the Year of the Fire Horse, amplifying this sense that something powerful is waking up in the collective.

But here’s the thing: this doesn’t automatically make 2026 “easy.” It makes it potent. Saturn is in the final moments of wrapping its long journey through Pisces, the final sign of the zodiac. That means every sign has completed a wisdom initiation. We’ve all been stretched, softened, disillusioned, and re-sensitized over the last few years. Even if things still look chaotic (and yes, they are — Uranus remains in Taurus until July, and Pluto is only just settling into Aquarius for its 20-year stay), what’s actually happening is a massive soil-turning. Old systems are breaking down so something more fertile, more alive, and more sustainable can grow.

That’s why one of the biggest themes of January, and honestly, all of 2026, is tending to your own garden. Focus your energy where it can actually grow something. This January begins emotionally, intentionally, and intuitively with the Cancer New Moon on January 3rd, a powerful culmination of everything we processed in the last six months of 2025. That chapter taught us that even our pain can be transmuted into power. It’s a tender, feeling-forward start to the year — one that invites us to listen more deeply to our intuition instead of overriding it.

At the same time, we’re firmly in Capricorn Season until January 19th, with Mars in Capricorn for most of the month and Venus also moving through Capricorn. This grounds all that emotion into something practical. Every zodiac sign is being asked the same question: What actually matters? Financially, this is a strong month for getting yourself together: reviewing your budget, canceling subscriptions you don’t use, and daring to plan the next quarter from abundance rather than scarcity. This is boss energy, but the mature kind. The kind that builds something that lasts.

There’s also a noticeable shift in our collective healing story. Chiron retrograde ends this month, and that matters. The healing journey we’ve all been on isn’t disappearing… it’s becoming lighter, more creative, more joy-oriented. Healing doesn’t have to be endless excavation. It can be playful. It can be life-giving. And you’ll feel that shift early in the year.

Mid-month, the energy begins to pivot outward. Venus enters Aquarius on January 17th, reminding us that while Capricorn Season may have had us focused on survival and structure, we’re not meant to do this alone. Community matters — but Saturn has taught us discernment. Not everyone gets access to you. Venus in Aquarius isn’t about small talk or performative connection. It’s about people you can build new worlds with. Mutual care, mutual vision, mutual respect.

Then comes the full Aquarius activation. The sun enters Aquarius on January 19th, Mercury follows on January 20th, and Mars enters Aquarius on January 23rd. This is a powerful stellium for community-building, collective dreaming, and unconventional collaboration. If you’ve been thinking about starting a co-op, a startup, a mutual aid project, a community garden — this is your cosmic green light. The weirder, more innovative, and more future-focused, the better. This energy is preparing us for the Aquarius eclipse coming in February, which will further accelerate collective shifts toward equity and shared power. We’re already seeing the ripple effects of this Aquarius momentum worldwide, as communities demand systems that actually serve people.

And just when you think January couldn’t get any more electric, Neptune enters Aries on January 26th. This is huge. Neptune, the planet of dreams, ideals, and imagination, forming supportive connections with Mars and Mercury in Aquarius brings inspired action online. Vision meets movement and hope meets strategy.

Yes, Aquarius energy can bring stubbornness or power struggles if ego gets involved, but the deeper message of this month is simple and radical: you don’t have to do everything alone anymore. January asks us to breathe more easily, to let support circulate, and to extend that same relief to others — especially those with less access or privilege. That’s the real beginning. And that’s what makes this one of the most meaningful fresh starts of our lifetimes.  

Read your horoscopes for your Sun and Rising signs for the most in-depth forecast.

Aries Sun & Rising:

Aries, January opens on an emotional note with the Cancer Full Moon on January 3rd, illuminating your home, family, and inner foundation. This is a deeply personal reset. You may feel more sensitive than usual, nostalgic even, as memories, family dynamics, or questions about where (and with whom) you truly feel safe come to the surface. This Full Moon asks you to tend to your roots before charging ahead. You’re starting the year by acknowledging that strength doesn’t come from constant motion… it comes from having somewhere solid to land. Give yourself permission to feel it all, especially if the past six months stirred up emotions you didn’t have time to fully process.

At the same time, Mars remains in Capricorn for most of the month, activating your career, reputation, and long-term legacy sector. This creates an interesting contrast: emotional sensitivity at home, paired with serious ambition in public. You’re being asked to grow up in some way professionally: to take your goals more seriously, even if that means making tough, disciplined choices. The Capricorn New Moon around January 18th is especially potent for setting intentions around your work life, leadership, and the mark you want to leave behind. This is about playing the long game. You’re not just chasing success, you’re defining what success actually means to you.

Then the energy shifts noticeably. Aquarius Season begins January 19th, followed by Mercury entering Aquarius on the 20th and Mars entering Aquarius on the 23rd, moving your focus from individual achievement to collective impact. Suddenly, you’re energized by community, technology, collaboration, and future-facing ideas. You may feel called to host, organize, share your insights, or step into a more visible role within a group or network.

And just days later, Neptune enters your sign on January 26th, where it will remain for over a decade. This is huge. It marks the beginning of a new era of dreaming, creating, and becoming for you. Your intuition sharpens, your imagination expands, and your presence becomes magnetic. This is your time to shine — not by shrinking yourself to fit expectations, but by fully embodying the bold, visionary, brilliant Aries you were born to be. The dreams you begin to believe in now have the power to become real.  

Taurus Sun & Rising:

Taurus, January begins with the Cancer Full Moon on January 3rd, activating your communication, learning, and creative expression sector. This is a moment of culmination tied to the last six months, especially around how you speak up, share your ideas, write, teach, or tell your story. Conversations may come full circle, a message finally lands, or you realize how much your voice has evolved since mid-2025. At the start of the year, this Full Moon invites you to honor your growth as a communicator and to trust that your words actually carry weight now. You’re not just talking… you’re transmitting something meaningful.

In the background, Mars moves steadily through Capricorn for most of the month, energizing your sector of higher learning, philosophy, long-distance travel, and big-picture thinking. This is productive, purposeful fire. You may feel motivated to commit to a course, apply for something abroad, plan a meaningful trip, or finally take an idea seriously that once felt too far off or impractical. The Capricorn New Moon around January 18th is especially supportive for setting intentions around expansion that’s sustainable; travel with purpose, learning that leads somewhere, or spiritual growth that’s actually integrated into daily life. This isn’t escapism; it’s evolution.

Then the tone shifts dramatically in the final third of the month. Aquarius Season begins January 19th, followed by Mercury entering Aquarius on the 20th and Mars on the 23rd, lighting up your career, public image, and long-term direction. Suddenly, visibility increases. People notice you. Opportunities arise that ask you to step up or stand out in a new way — especially through innovation, leadership, or unconventional paths. At the same time, Neptune enters Aries on January 26th, activating your spirituality, healing, and subconscious realm. The magic of this month is learning how to merge both: ambition and inner alignment. You’re being asked to build a life that honors your calling without abandoning your soul. It’s an exciting shift… one that reminds you that success hits different when it’s rooted in meaning. 

Gemini Sun & Rising:

Gemini, January begins with the Cancer Full Moon on January 3rd, activating your money, values, and self-worth sector. This is a culmination tied to the last six months around income, stability, and how you value your time, energy, and talents. You may receive clarity around what’s sustainable and what’s draining you financially or energetically. At the very start of the year, this Full Moon asks you to get emotionally honest about security — not just what you earn, but what actually makes you feel safe. There’s a strong message here: your worth is no longer negotiable.

Meanwhile, Mars spends most of January in Capricorn, moving through your sector of shared resources, debts, investments, and deep emotional entanglements. This is intense but productive energy. You may be actively restructuring finances that involve other people: taxes, loans, inheritances, subscriptions, or business partnerships. Emotionally, this can also stir up questions about trust, power, and reciprocity. The Capricorn New Moon around January 18th is an ideal moment to set intentions around financial cleanup, long-term investments, or releasing attachments that feel too heavy to carry into this new cycle. This is about taking responsibility for your future… not fearfully, but strategically.

The final third of the month brings a noticeable lift. Aquarius Season begins January 19th, with Mercury entering Aquarius on the 20th and Mars on the 23rd, activating your sector of higher learning, travel, publishing, and expanded perspective. Your curiosity reignites. You may feel pulled toward teaching, studying, sharing your ideas publicly, or planning a trip that changes how you see the world.

Then, Neptune enters Aries on January 26th, illuminating your community, friendships, and long-term dreams for the next decade. This is where hope returns. You’re reminded that you don’t have to figure everything out alone… your people, your collaborators, your future allies are finding you. January ultimately shifts you from survival mode into vision mode. And that’s a powerful way to begin a year of one.

Cancer Sun & Rising:

Cancer, January is your personal reset. Your annual New Moon arrives early, on January 3rd, in your sign, marking one of the most important moments of your entire year. This is a rebirth point, emotionally, energetically, and intuitively. The past six months have likely asked you to release old identities, patterns, or versions of yourself that no longer felt safe or true. Now, you get to choose who you’re becoming. You may feel more sensitive, reflective, or inward at the start of the year, but that’s because your intuition is loud and clear. This New Moon asks you to trust your instincts and set intentions that honor how you want to feel, not just what you want to achieve.

At the same time, Mars spends most of January in Capricorn, directly opposing your sign and activating your partnership sector. Relationships — romantic, professional, and personal — are front and center. This can bring clarity around commitment, boundaries, and shared responsibility. You may be asked to meet others halfway, even if that feels uncomfortable at first. The Capricorn New Moon around January 18th deepens this theme, offering a moment to reset agreements, redefine expectations, or make a serious decision about who you’re building with long-term. This is about choosing relationships that can support the version of you that’s emerging now.

The energy lightens and expands in the final third of the month. Aquarius Season begins January 19th, followed by Mercury entering Aquarius on the 20th and Mars on the 23rd, shifting your focus toward intimacy, healing, and shared resources. You’re encouraged to have honest conversations about money, trust, and emotional exchange. Then, on January 26th, Neptune enters Aries, beginning a long-term chapter in your career and public life. Over the next decade, you’re learning how to align your work with your intuition and compassion. January ends by reminding you that when you honor your emotional truth, you don’t just feel safer… you become more powerful. 

Leo Sun & Rising:

Leo, January begins quietly with the Cancer New Moon on January 3rd, activating your sector of rest, healing, and subconscious processing. This is not your usual spotlight moment… and that’s intentional. The start of the year invites you to slow down, go inward, and release emotional weight you’ve been carrying since mid-2025. You may feel more introspective, more tired, or more aware of what needs to end rather than begin. This New Moon is about closure, forgiveness, and making peace with the past so you don’t drag it into the next chapter. Think of it as energetic decluttering before the glow up.

At the same time, Mars moves through Capricorn for most of the month, activating your work, health, and daily routine sector. While emotionally you’re in a reflective space, practically you’re being asked to get your life together. This is prime energy for committing to healthier habits, refining your schedule, or taking your responsibilities more seriously, especially if you’ve been running on autopilot. The Capricorn New Moon around January 18th offers a powerful moment to reset your routines and make sustainable changes that support your long-term vitality. Small shifts now can have major ripple effects.

The energy shifts dramatically in the final third of the month. Aquarius Season begins January 19th, followed by Mercury entering Aquarius on the 20th and Mars on the 23rd, activating your partnership sector. Suddenly, other people matter more, romantically, creatively, and professionally. Conversations get real, and decisions about commitment, collaboration, or boundaries come into focus. And then, Neptune enters Aries on January 26th, opening a long-term chapter of spiritual growth, faith, and expanded perspective. January ends by reminding you that rest is not a retreat… it’s preparation. You’re clearing space so your next era can arrive fully formed.

Virgo Sun & Rising:

Virgo, January opens with the Cancer New Moon on January 3rd, activating your sector of friendships, community, and long-term goals. This marks a meaningful culmination connected to the last six months, especially around who you’ve been building with and which dreams are still worth your energy. You may feel a shift in your social circle, a renewed sense of belonging, or clarity about which visions you want to commit to in this new cycle. At the start of the year, this New Moon asks you to stop doing everything alone and to trust that aligned support exists.

Meanwhile, Mars spends most of the month in Capricorn, moving through your creativity, romance, and passion sector. This is productive, focused fire… less about fantasy, more about commitment. You’re being encouraged to take something you love seriously, whether that’s a creative project, a romantic connection, or your relationship with joy itself. The Capricorn New Moon around January 18th is especially potent for setting intentions around pleasure that’s sustainable, creative work that has structure, or dating with clearer standards. This is about showing up consistently for what lights you up.

The final third of the month brings a noticeable pivot. Aquarius Season begins January 19th, followed by Mercury entering Aquarius on the 20th and Mars on the 23rd, shifting your attention to work, wellness, and daily systems. You may feel motivated to streamline your schedule, adopt new tools or technologies, or rethink how you manage your time and energy.

Then, Neptune enters Aries on January 26th, beginning a long-term chapter of emotional healing and deeper intimacy. January ends by reminding you that when your routines support your passions — and your boundaries support your heart — you don’t just function better, you thrive.

Libra Sun & Rising:

Libra, January begins with the Cancer Full Moon on January 3rd, spotlighting your career, visibility, and public life. This is a culmination moment connected to the last six months of effort, especially around leadership, recognition, or a role you’ve been growing into since mid-2025. You may receive feedback, validation, or clarity about where you stand professionally and what no longer feels emotionally sustainable. Starting the year this way can feel intense, but it’s also empowering. You’re being asked to define success on your own terms, not just perform it for others.

At the same time, Mars moves through Capricorn for most of the month, activating your home, family, and inner foundation sector. While your outer life is visible, your inner life is under construction. You may be dealing with family responsibilities, a move, home projects, or emotional patterns rooted in the past. The Capricorn New Moon around January 18th is a powerful reset point for your private world, setting intentions around stability, boundaries with family, or creating a living situation that actually supports your nervous system. This is about building a base that can hold you as your ambitions grow.

The final third of the month brings a shift toward joy and connection. Aquarius Season begins January 19th, followed by Mercury entering Aquarius on the 20th and Mars on the 23rd, activating your creativity, romance, and self-expression sector. You’re reminded that pleasure, play, and inspiration are not distractions — they’re fuel. Then, Neptune enters Aries on January 26th, beginning a long-term chapter of spiritual growth through relationships. Over the next decade, partnerships become mirrors for healing, compassion, and deeper understanding. January ends by asking you to choose relationships and creative outlets that feel expansive, honest, and alive.

Scorpio Sun & Rising:

Scorpio, January opens with the Cancer Full Moon on January 3rd, illuminating your sector of belief, higher learning, travel, and meaning. This is a culmination tied to the last six months of growth around your worldview: what you believe, what you stand for, and what feels worth your devotion. You may have a realization that changes how you see your future, or you could finally release an old philosophy, plan, or story that no longer fits who you’re becoming. Starting the year this way feels expansive and emotional at once. You’re being reminded that growth isn’t just about doing more… it’s about aligning with a truth that actually sustains you.

Meanwhile, Mars spends most of January in Capricorn, activating your communication, thinking, and daily movement sector. This is sharp, productive energy for writing, speaking, teaching, negotiating, or making concrete plans. Your mind is focused, strategic, and direct. Conversations carry weight now, especially ones you may have been avoiding. The Capricorn New Moon around January 18th is a powerful moment to set intentions around how you communicate, what you commit to mentally, and how you manage your time and energy day to day. This is about discipline in thought, not obsession — choosing clarity over noise.

The final third of the month brings an inward but grounding shift. Aquarius Season begins January 19th, followed by Mercury entering Aquarius on the 20th and Mars on the 23rd, activating your home, family, and emotional foundation. You may feel called to reorganize your space, redefine family dynamics, or spend more time nesting and grounding yourself.

Then, Neptune enters Aries on January 26th, beginning a long-term chapter of healing through work, wellness, and daily rituals. Over the next decade, your relationship with your body, your labor, and your purpose evolves in a more intuitive, compassionate direction. January ends by reminding you that transformation doesn’t always look dramatic — sometimes it looks like building a life that finally feels liveable. 

Sagittarius Sun & Rising:

Sag, January begins with the Cancer Full Moon on January 3rd, activating your sector of intimacy, shared resources, and energetic exchange. This is a culmination tied to the last six months around trust: who you merge with emotionally, financially, or spiritually, and where power dynamics have needed healing. You may gain clarity around a financial arrangement, a deep relationship, or an emotional attachment that’s ready to transform. Starting the year this way can feel intense, but it’s also clarifying. You’re learning that vulnerability isn’t a loss of freedom… it’s a different kind of strength.

At the same time, Mars moves through Capricorn for most of the month, grounding your focus in money, self-worth, and material stability. This is about taking responsibility for your resources and recognizing your value in very real, tangible ways. You may feel motivated to increase income, tighten your budget, or commit to a long-term financial plan that supports your independence. The Capricorn New Moon around January 18th is especially powerful for setting intentions around earnings, pricing your work fairly, or building security without sacrificing joy. This is practical ambition that actually supports your freedom.

The energy lightens and speeds up in the final third of the month. Aquarius Season begins January 19th, followed by Mercury entering Aquarius on the 20th and Mars on the 23rd, activating your communication, learning, and local connection sector. Conversations spark ideas. Writing, teaching, pitching, or sharing your perspective feels energizing again.

Then, Neptune enters Aries on January 26th, beginning a long-term chapter of creative and romantic awakening. Over the next decade, joy becomes more intuitive, love more inspired, and creativity more fearless. January ends by reminding you that when your foundation is solid, your spirit is free to roam exactly where it wants. 

Capricorn Sun & Rising:

Capricorn, January begins with the Cancer Full Moon on January 3rd, activating your partnership sector and bringing relationship themes front and center. This is a culmination tied to the last six months around commitment, collaboration, and emotional reciprocity. You may receive clarity about who’s truly showing up for you, and where imbalance has lingered too long. Starting the year this way asks you to soften without losing your edge. This Full Moon reminds you that strength doesn’t mean carrying everything alone; it means choosing connections that meet you in the middle.

Meanwhile, Mars spends most of January in your sign, giving you drive, momentum, and a sense of personal authority that’s hard to ignore. You’re more decisive, more visible, and more willing to take up space. This is a powerful time to initiate personal goals, redefine your identity, or step into leadership in a way that feels embodied rather than forced. The Capricorn New Moon around January 18th is especially important for you — it’s a personal reset. Set intentions around how you want to move through the world this year, what version of yourself you’re committing to, and what you’re no longer willing to tolerate. This is about conscious self-definition.

The final third of the month shifts your focus outward. Aquarius Season begins January 19th, followed by Mercury entering Aquarius on the 20th and Mars on the 23rd, activating your money, values, and resource sector. Conversations around income, pricing, and long-term security come into focus, but in a more innovative, future-oriented way.

Then, Neptune enters Aries on January 26th, beginning a long-term chapter centered on home, emotional healing, and inner belonging. Over the next decade, you’re learning that true stability isn’t just built externally… it’s cultivated from within. January ends with you standing taller, clearer, and more aligned with the life you’re intentionally creating.

Aquarius Sun & Rising:

Aquarius, January begins with the Cancer Full Moon on January 3rd, activating your work, wellness, and daily life sector. This is a culmination tied to the last six months around how you manage your energy, time, and responsibilities. You may feel emotionally aware of what’s been sustainable, and what absolutely hasn’t. Starting the year this way brings clarity around burnout, boundaries, and the need to care for your body as much as your vision. This Full Moon asks you to stop sacrificing yourself for productivity and to build routines that actually support your long-term health.

Meanwhile, Mars spends most of January in Capricorn, moving through your sector of rest, healing, and subconscious processing. This is quieter but powerful energy. You may feel called to slow down, work behind the scenes, or release habits and patterns that have been draining you for years. The Capricorn New Moon around January 18th is a potent moment for intention-setting around rest, spiritual practices, and emotional closure. You’re clearing space — consciously or not — for something new to enter. Trust that what’s dissolving now is making room for your next era.

And then, everything shifts. Aquarius Season begins January 19th, followed by Mercury entering your sign on the 20th and Mars on the 23rd, launching you into visibility, momentum, and renewed confidence. You’re sharper, bolder, and more expressive: ready to initiate ideas, lead conversations, and be seen as yourself without editing. This is amplified even more when Neptune enters Aries on January 26th, activating your communication and thought sector for the next decade. Your voice becomes visionary. Your ideas carry inspiration. January ends with you stepping fully into your power, reminding you that when you honor rest first, your brilliance lands even louder.

Pisces Sun & Rising:

Pisces, January opens with the Cancer Full Moon on January 3rd, illuminating your creativity, romance, pleasure, and self-expression sector. This is a culmination tied to the last six months around joy: what lights you up, who makes you feel alive, and where you may have dimmed yourself out of obligation or exhaustion. Emotions run deep, but in a beautiful way. You may feel more expressive, more romantic, or more connected to your inner child at the start of the year. This Full Moon reminds you that joy is not frivolous… it’s medicine, and it’s essential to your healing.

At the same time, Mars moves through Capricorn for most of the month, activating your friendships, community, and long-term goals sector. This brings a grounded, purposeful energy to collaboration. You may feel motivated to commit to a group project, take a leadership role within your community, or get serious about a dream that requires teamwork. The Capricorn New Moon around January 18th is a powerful moment to set intentions around the future you want to build, and who you want beside you as you do. This is about choosing aligned allies and releasing connections that no longer feel reciprocal.

The final third of the month brings a subtle but meaningful shift. Aquarius Season begins January 19th, followed by Mercury entering Aquarius on the 20th and Mars on the 23rd, encouraging rest, reflection, and behind-the-scenes work. You may feel called to step back slightly, recharge, or prepare quietly for something new. Then, Neptune, your ruling planet, enters Aries on January 26th, beginning a long-term chapter focused on self-worth, resources, and embodiment. Over the next decade, you’re learning to ground your dreams in reality, to value yourself more boldly, and to build stability without sacrificing your magic. January ends with a gentle but powerful message: your sensitivity is your strength, and this year, it’s meant to support you, not drain you.

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