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Compatibility
Cancer Monkey and Leo Sheep

The typically slow but steady progress of firstwest and secondwest towards inspiration and dedication may have a double benefit here, helping the respectful but reticent firsteast and secondeast energy develop closeness and dependability.

Western Zodiac sign, Cancer
Western Zodiac sign, Leo

Western Zodiac

Cancer and Leo

Compatibility overview

Next-door signs in Western astrology, like firstwest and secondwest, are often looked at with skepticism. Astrologers have traditionally thought of them as like real-life neighbors, who make each other nervous, and are best suited to respectful distance. In fact, however, there is considerable potential here. They may not let their guards down for a while, but these signs can ultimately become highly effective collaborators, and may share an enduring and rewarding bond.

Cancer and Leo - Relationship Horoscope

Read more about the CANCER and LEO zodiac signs...

Read more about the CANCER MONKEY and LEO SHEEP combined zodiac signs...

Adjacent to each other on the Western zodiac wheel, Cancer and Leo form what is known as a Semi-sextile aspect. This so-called minor influence—one of only two, with the Quincunx—has a less pronounced effect than other connections, which contributes both freedom and aimlessness to the relationship.

Certainly at the beginning, differences between these signs are likely to be more apparent than synergies. For one thing, the elements here are notoriously difficult to reconcile. Cancer is a Water sign, highly sensitive and emotionally fluid. They incline towards interior peacefulness, and are vulnerable to being overborne when crowded or pressured by others. Fire sign Leo, on the other hand, tends to be as passionate and commanding as anyone in the zodiac—fiery and resolute when strong, furious or smoldering when uneasy. Thus Cancer may find it hard to maintain a sense of themselves, as they either get riled up by Leo's abundant energy, or feel disturbed and long for greater tranquility. Leo, meanwhile, may find Cancer wayward, inconsistent, or moody, which can make Leo worry that their independent spirit is under threat, or that their ambitions for honor and social connection could be compromised.

Sustained contact, however, may produce transformative results for this pair. Cancer and Leo share highly compatible modalities. Cancer is a Cardinal sign, expressing the pure energy of beginnings, initiation, and inception. This is beautifully compatible with Leo's Fixed nature, with its emphasis on realization and real-world accomplishment. Hence, in spite of initial nervousness, these two are capable of forging highly successful collaborations.

Independence and dialogue will be essential for these two, given their differences. Yet the contrasting natures of Cancer and Leo also open up a world of creative possibilities, if they are able to work together successfully. Semi-sextile energy is also well-known for being conducive to bonds that strengthen and deepen over time. However frosty or standoffish Cancer and Leo are early in their relationship, they may ultimately forge one of the most dependable and nourishing alliances in the zodiac.

Celebrity Cancer/Leo Pairings*

*Click on the names to see both Western and Chinese zodiac matches for that pairing.

Courtney Love and Edward Norton
Courtney Love and Edward Norton (click for attribution/s)

Courtney Love (7/9/1964, Cancer Dragon), Edward Norton (8/18/1969, Leo Rooster) : The actor and musician dated between 1996 and 1999, after they appeared together in The People Versus Larry Flynt (1996). Love has continued to speak fondly about Norton and to express regret about their separation. In 2006, she said: "I should have married Norton...I left him for a bad man who stole all my money. I left Ed Norton, who was good and wonderful, for an average bad man who was in A+R. It’s upsetting."

Vin Diesel (7/18/1967, Cancer Sheep), Paloma Jimenez (8/22/1983, Leo Pig) : The actor and model have been together since 2007 and have three children. Though they have said little about their relationship in public, Diesel has said: "While I was doing [The Pacifier (2005)], it really started to bring out this desire to have a child. It took a couple years after that to find the right person and to hopefully be mature enough to be a great father which is really all you want to do." About Jimenez, he has described: "She's so stunningly beautiful, but the thing people don't realize is she's my rock, so she's so stunningly beautiful on the inside. She's just so wonderful in so many ways."

Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall
Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall (click for attribution/s)

Jerry Hall (7/2/1956, Cancer Monkey), Mick Jagger (7/26/1943, Leo Sheep) : The Rolling Stones frontman and model/actor were together from 1977 to 1999 and had four children. (An ostensible 'marriage' in Indonesia in 1990 was later annulled.) Their relationship was frequently interrupted by Jagger's infidelities. Hall described in 2003: "[Jagger is] a sick, addictive womanizer who made me very unhappy...[Now he] lives next door and doesn't have a kitchen. I'm trying to get him to get his own place -- with a kitchen...He's the most fabulous ex- husband. He's extremely generous. We never argue about the children. We adore each other."

Anjelica Huston (7/8/1951, Cancer Rabbit), John Huston (8/5/1906, Leo Horse) : The director and actor were father and daughter. Anjelica Huston has described: "[My father] was often not with my mother and often not with me, which didn't alter in any way my profound love for him...That was what he did. He was an adventurer, and he lived in a grand style, and everything around him and everything he did was a grand gesture." In her memoir, Watch Me (2014), she recalled their first collaboration, A Walk with Love and Death (1969) as, "[A] personal, commercial, and professional disappointment." Describing the success of their later film, Prizzi's Honor (1985) (for which she won an Oscar), she wrote: "For Dad and me, it was proof that if you believe in each other, are willing to risk humiliation, and put your heart on the line, miracles can happen."

Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon
Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon (click for attribution/s)

Kevin Bacon (7/8/1958, Cancer Dog), Kyra Sedgwick (8/19/1965, Leo Snake) : The two actors share one of the most enduring Hollywood relationships, having married in 1988. They have two children. Bacon has said that that when they met on the set of Lemon Sky (1988), "I found her, you know, really very beautiful and sexy and aloof. And I was just immediately in love with her and she was just immediately put off by me." Sedgwick has described: "[Bacon] was very friendly and sweet and every night after work he would say, ‘Who wants to go out to dinner?' And the whole cast would say yes except for me. And later on he told me that the only person he wanted to say yes was me and I never said yes and he was always stuck with the check, poor guy...I had no great role models in terms of healthy marriages...but [after we got together] I knew in my heart and soul that he was the right person. It was an unquestionable truth of mine. I've never had anything like that before or after."

Darren de Gallo (7/21/1974, Cancer Tiger), Amy Adams (8/20/1974, Leo Tiger) : The two actors began dating a year after they met in an acting class, and after a seven-year engagement married in 2015. They have one child. Adams has described: "[de Gallo] has sacrificed a lot. But he travels with me and helps to keep the family together, and I really do appreciate that. But I don’t value it because he’s a man doing it, I value it because he’s my partner… My husband is an extremely competent caregiver."

Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger
Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger (click for attribution/s)

Sylvester Stallone (7/6/1946, Cancer Dog), Arnold Schwarzenegger (7/30/1947, Leo Pig) : The two actors shared a high-profile rivalry as muscle-bound action stars in the 1980s and 1990s. Stallone has said that for a time the pair, "[C]ouldn't stand to be in the same galaxy...We truly, truly loathed each other." A low point, confirmed by Schwarzenegger, was when he feigned interest in Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot (1992), to lure Stallone into making a likely unsuccessful film. However, the two have since become strong friends. Stallone described in 2022: "Arnold’s very wise and he loves to talk about philosophies which have got him to where he is. It’s good to talk to a man who actually has put his money where his mouth is, and he’s achieved that. Then we start goofing around and being crazy — just laughing at the old times. I told him: 'We are the last two tyrannosaurus.' We’re the last two meat eaters, and there’s not much beef left out there. So we better enjoy each other."

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Chinese Zodiac sign, the Monkey
Chinese Zodiac sign, the Sheep

Chinese Zodiac

Monkey and Sheep

Compatibility overview

The combination of firsteast and secondeast is not always top of the list when it comes to theoretical compatibility, but in fact this match has some terrific potential. These signs are very different in some key respects, so at times tensions may prove inevitable. Yet there is also plenty of common ground and mutual admiration, which provide ample scope for a close and enriching connection.

Monkey and Sheep - Relationship Horoscope

Read more about the MONKEY and SHEEP zodiac signs...

Read more about the CANCER MONKEY and LEO SHEEP combined zodiac signs...

Traditional Chinese astrology is often polarized between very strong or very challenging energy matches. The pairing of Monkey and Sheep, however, exists in the more flexible middle ground. Hence there is plenty of scope for these two to build a strong rapport from the very beginning.

Creativity is especially favoured here. After all, the Monkey is the virtuoso genius of the Chinese zodiac, while the Sheep is a conceptual thinker par excellence. Both of these souls are known for their vivacious senses of humour, so an inspiring flow of brilliant ideas accompanied by bursts of wit and hilarity is very much on the cards. Over time, these two are also capable of providing each other with profound emotional support. Behind the Monkey's high-octane personality, they can experience periods of quite intense loneliness and disillusion. The Sheep's instinctive generosity and great sensitivity make them an ideal source of reassurance and counsel. The Sheep, on the other hand, is susceptible to emotional disturbance and can be somewhat easily knocked off course. The Monkey, who possesses infinite curiosity and is a master problem-solver, can offer invaluable strategic advice to the anxiety-prone Sheep.

It is true that the Trine Families of each of these signs (like the elements in Western astrology)—which for the the Monkey includes the Dragon and Rat, and for the Sheep the Pig and Rabbit—are not especially harmonious. Indeed, there are some risky matches in this group (such as the Monkey and Pig, or the Sheep and Rat). Some of these surrounding tensions may affect the Monkey and Sheep. The Monkey's relentless energy may at times overpower or unsettle the peace-loving Sheep, for example, making the Sheep yearn for periods of calm. The Sheep's fretful nature could at times seem unnecessary or exaggerated in the eyes of the Monkey, and the Monkey may be frustrated by the suffering Sheep. Fortunately, the affinities between these signs are likely to be strong enough to repel the cross-currents.

While they will likely need space from each other from time to time, and there may be periods of instability, there is every chance these two will forge a meaningful and lasting bond.

Celebrity Monkey/Sheep Pairings*

*Click on the names to see both Western and Chinese zodiac matches for that pairing.

William Shatner and Nichelle Nichols
William Shatner and Nichelle Nichols (click for attribution/s)

William Shatner (3/22/1931, Aries Sheep), Nichelle Nichols (12/28/1932, Capricorn Monkey) : The two actors collaborated for many years, playing Captain Kirk and Nyota Uhura in the original Stark Trek TV show and films. They famously shared one of the first interracial kisses on US network television. Nichols' autobiography, Beyond Uhura (1994), describes Shatner as "incredibly charming", but also "bossing around and intimidating." In a noteworthy passage, she wrote: "While working on Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, I discovered something about Bill Shatner. He was a wonderful director to work for. Supportive, encouraging, inspiring—Bill turned out to be among the finest, most respectful directors I’ve ever worked with...I realized that what drove all of us crazy about him when he was acting was that he was directing. For whatever reason, Bill needs to control the action and be the center of attention...His authority in the director’s chair secure and unquestioned, Bill joined the team, however briefly."

Christopher Walken (3/31/1943, Aries Sheep), Georgianne Walken (2/8/1944, Aquarius Monkey) : The actor and casting director have been married since 1969. Georgianne Walken has described: "It’s very interesting being married to a man who is constantly playing a different person...You’re always living with a different person. He never tells me what part he’s playing when he’s getting ready. It just descends on me one day. [It’s] very interesting."

Naomi Watts and Nicole Kidman
Naomi Watts and Nicole Kidman (click for attribution/s)

Nicole Kidman (6/20/1967, Gemini Sheep), Naomi Watts (9/28/1968, Libra Monkey) : The two actors, who both spent time growing up in Australia, formed a strong bond when they starred together in the film, Flirting (1991). Presenting Kidman the Crystal Award for Excellence in Film in 2015, Watts said, "Back in the day, you fueled me with hope and encouragement. You kept saying, ‘Nai, one thing, one thing. That’s all it takes. It will change everything.’ And it’s only later that I realized the true power of that statement...[Kidman] took me under her wing and she made me her sister. Her smaller sister. Nicole epitomizes for me the word sisterhood. She’s absolutely a woman’s woman. She’s highly spirited, has an infectious laugh, and always up for a good time. And when I say a good time, I mean a good time...The sisterhood needs many more friends like you, and the world needs many more people like you."

Keith Richards (12/18/1943, Sagittarius Sheep), Patti Hansen (3/17/1956, Pisces Monkey) : The legendary guitarist/founding member of The Rolling Stones and model/actress have been married since 1983. Richards has said, "When Patti and I met it was just . . . boom. There was life before Patti and life after. We just clicked, and she rescued me from, shall we say, dark periods . . . without going into too much detail."

Ravi Shankar and George Harrison
Ravi Shankar and George Harrison (click for attribution/s)

George Harrison (2/25/1943, Pisces Sheep), Ravi Shankar (4/7/1920, Aries Monkey) : The two musicians famously collaborated from the late 1960s, after the sitar virtuoso Shankar agreed to give lessons on the instrument to Harrison. In 1997, Harrison edited and wrote the foreword for Shankar's memoir, Raga Mala (1997). Shankar described in the book: "I felt strongly that there was a beautiful soul in [Harrison], and recognised one quality which I always have valued enormously and which is considered the principal one in our culture—humility. Considering that he was so famous—part of the most popular group in the world ever!—he was nevertheless quite humble, with a childlike quality that he has retained to this day." Harrison wrote: "The moment we started, the feelings I got were of [Shankar's] patience, compassion and humility. The fact that he could do one of his five-hour concerts, but at the same time he could sit down and teach somebody from scratch...And he enjoyed it, he wasn’t grudging at all, and he wasn’t flash about it either."

Heath Ledger (4/4/1979, Aries Sheep), Michelle Williams (9/9/1980, Virgo Monkey) : The two actors co-starred in Brokeback Mountain and were married for three years. Williams has described how she spent the 10 years after Ledger's tragic death in 2008 seeking the "radical acceptance" he provided for her. She explained, "I always say to [their daughter] Matilda, 'Your dad loved me before anybody thought I was talented, or pretty, or had nice clothes.'"

Bob Woodward (3/26/1943, Aries Sheep), Carl Bernstein (2/14/1944, Aquarius Monkey) : The two investigative journalists became household names after their book, All the President's Men (1974), and the subsequent film with the same name (1976), became synonymous with the exposure of Watergate and the fall of the Nixon US presidency. Bernstein described in 2003: "There are special things only the two of us understand, from the work we did together to the way each of us looks at journalism. There are things we say to each other that we’d never say to anyone else. It was true during the reporting of Watergate, and it’s true now. No, we would not have been friends otherwise. We were not inclined to like each other before, and within weeks we came to develop this incredible respect for each other. Now, it’s a great friendship."


Combined Relationship Horoscope

Final Words

The minor semi-Sextile aspect often needs a head start to find its feet, so it may take a while for firstwest and secondwest to progress beyond initial nervousness to the impactful and nourishing bond they are capable of. The influence of the firsteast and secondeast on the Chinese zodiac side will likely both aid and hinder this process, contributing a blend of caring admiration with respectful distance. Given sensitivity and perseverance, however, on balance the synergies here could lead to a bond that grows ever closer over time, yielding impressive impacts and an enjoyable, reliable bond.

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