Aquarius Celebrities Whose Personalities Make So Much Sense

Henry David Thoreau wasn't an Aquarius, but he must have known a few people who were; how else would he have been inspired to write that famous quote about hearing "a different drummer"? People born under the sign of the Water Bearer (January 22 to February 19) are often described with adjectives like "unique," "open-minded" or just plain "quirky." No idea is too out-there for them; no style is off-limits. Aquarius is one of the air signs, characterized by a gift for ideas and communication — but, as a fixed sign, they can also be a bit stubborn when it comes to maintaining their own viewpoints. They also cherish their independence and hate feeling held back. Yet as individualistic as they are, they're also terrific at getting people together, especially if it's for a common cause, according to Astrostyle.   

Some of the most famous Aquarius celebrities today truly live up to the sign's reputation. Among them: Kerry Washington, Elijah Wood, Isla Fisher, Ronda Rousey, Rainn Wilson, Guy Fieri, and Michael Jordan. Both Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia DeRossi, are Aquarians. 

Below are a few more who stand out as Water Bearers through and through.

Nothing angers Aquarius more than seeing injustice in the world. Their passion for humanitarian causes, combined with their visionary nature, can have powerful results (via Astrostyle). Oprah Winfrey is proof of that. The actress/author/TV host/media mogul has built a huge brand for herself — who else can get millions of people to buy a book just on her say-so? — but she's not content just to count her money. 

Over the years, she has used her wealth and influence to fund college scholarships, aid disaster victims, support marches for gun control, build schools in underserved countries, sponsor the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture, and stock food pantries during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic (via GoBankingRates). Her Aquarian love of fairness was also present on her talk show; who can forget the episode where she gifted a new car to everyone in the audience? But the gift she said she enjoyed most was the one she bestowed on an October 2006 episode: She gave each audience member a $1,000 gift card to be used toward charities or individuals in need, so that they, too, could experience the joy of giving (via Fox News).

People born under the sign of the Water Bearer hate to be bored – or boring. That goes for their clothes as well. According to StitchFix, Aquarians thrive on looking "trendy, unusual, rebellious or different," which means just about anything is fair game, fashion-wise. You'll find your Aquarian pals wearing eye-catching prints, vibrant colors, vintage jewelry or whatever else suits their fancy, and on them, it works.

Aquarian Harry Styles is well-named. Born February 1, he started out as a member of One Direction and went on to carve a highly successful solo career after the boy band split up. Styles has become almost as famous for his unconventional outfits as he is for songs like "Watermelon Sugar." A look at this British edition of GQ shows just a few of his most memorable outfits, from a peach-and-purple polka-dot suit to a black leather suit topped with a lime-green faux-fur boa. True to the Aquarius reputation for rebelliousness, Styles delights in bending conventional gender fashion. He's been known to wear women's suits by Marc Jacobs, and one of his signature accessories is a large pearl necklace. For his recent appearance in Vogue, Styles's wardrobe included a full-length Gucci gown. "There's so much joy to be had in playing with clothes," he said.

Aquarians totally own their quirkiness and their sun sign. It's not unusual to see them sporting a tattoo of their sign (as Harry Styles does), or identifying their sign on their social media bios. Yara Shahidi goes one better– she knows other signs in her chart, too. Explaining her disinterest in dating, the "Black-ish" and "Grown-ish" actress once told Refinery 29, "It's never been a priority to me...I'm an Aquarius with Scorpio rising, so my ability to detach is unprecedented." 

Her Aquarius intellect and curiosity about the world led her to become a sociology major at Harvard, where she one day hopes to help shape public policy. In the meantime, Shahidi is balancing her acting work with other projects, such as launching a clothing line with Adidas inspired by her Black and Iranian heritage. At 17, she created a partnership with the Young Women's Leadership School that helps high schoolers come together to work on social issues. She once told Forbes, "Being a part of a generation in which societal contribution and action are expected, I've had the great fortune of inter-generational support and access to the entrepreneurial tools and information needed to exponentially grow my own philanthropic platform, impacting my global community for the better." If that isn't an Aquarius statement, what is?

Over the years, the media has tried to force Jennifer Aniston into a narrative of "poor childless woman" or "desperately looking for love." The Aquarian actress, born February 11, isn't having it. In 2016, she wrote an op-ed for HuffPost slamming the journalists who perpetuate toxic female stereotypes. "Here's where I come out on this topic: we are complete with or without a mate, with or without a child," she said. "We get to decide for ourselves what is beautiful when it comes to our bodies. That decision is ours and ours alone."

Unlike signs such as Leo, Libra, and Pisces, who crave affection and partnership, Aquarius is content to stay uncoupled, if that's how fate plays out (via Astrostyle). Twice divorced, Aniston feels quite fulfilled on her own, thank you very much. "I love my me-time, and I like being alone a lot, which I guess makes sense as an Aquarius," she told InStyle.  

Water Bearers prefer to set their own trends rather than follow them, and Aniston has done her share of that. As Yahoo News reminds us, the "Friends" star sent women running to their stylists when she sported the iconic "Rachel" haircut. She also was late to join the Instagram game, but when she did, followers flocked to her in droves.

"Aquarius lives and breathes the world of music," according to ZodiacFire. That could explain why, according to TheFamousPeople, so many famous musicians were born under that sign, such as Bob Marley, Carole King, Alicia Keys, Phil Collins, Ice-T, Eddie Van Halen, Axl Rose, and film composer John Williams ("Star Wars," "Jurassic Park," etc.). Now combine the sign's musical talents with their love of innovation, and you have a recipe for greatness. Mozart, an Aquarius, was unappreciated in his lifetime, but later generations came to recognize his genius.

Another unique Aquarius is The Weeknd; this multiple Grammy winner personifies the sign's individualism. At 17, he spontaneously decided to drop out of school and run off with his friend Lamar to pursue a music career. He dropped his given name, Abel Tesfaye, in favor of the name he originally wanted to give to his first mixtape. His Super Bowl halftime performance featured dancers in face bandages, a reference to the videos for "After Hours." And, as a true Aquarius, he won't stand for anything he considers unfair. When "After Hours" was shut out of the 2021 Grammy nominations, The Weeknd accused the organization of corruption and vowed never to submit his music for consideration again (via NME).