Venus in Leo: Charisma

Thursday October 8th 2015

Greta Garbo as Queen Christina of Sweden. Sun in Virgo, Gemini Rising

As Venus strolls through each sign, she dons different clothes or new makeup; she sheds jewellery, cuts her hair, adds glitter, goes natural. The goddess shows that allure comes in many guises, not just physical beauty.

50 Cent went from rags to riches almost overnight. Before going bust he considered investing in a a platinum mine. Venus in Leo plus his Cancer Sun need for security may have pushed him too far.

50 Cent considered investing in a platinum mine before he went spectacularly bust this summer. Venus in Leo’s love of bling, plus his Cancer Sun need for security may have pushed him too far.

The Rising sign, Sun sign and prominent planets are also important in shaping a person’s looks. But Venus is what makes us attractive. That’s why it’s interesting to look at people whose appearance is critical, or at least a part of, their work.

Now Leo is the royal sign, ruled by the golden Sun itself. Venus in Leo is extroverted, projecting outwards, rather drawing in like, say, Cancer. Leo rules the heart and, in general, vitality and a Leo Suns often has an obvious physical heat. Venus in Leo can be more subtle than that. For example, there are several ice-maidens in this list (Nicole Kidman and Gwyneth Paltrow both with watery rising signs), but they all have tremendous charisma.

Leo is also associated with acting and the theatre, so it’s not surprising that there are so many outstanding thesps here. Leo Suns often experiment with different personas through their lives. Unlike quicksilver Gemini, they won’t switch back and forth, but may have extended periods during which they are acting one particular role — mother, entrepreneur, disco queen. Madonna has turned this playacting into an art, and several of the actors here are real chameleons. Although they are stars, they are really character actors.

Venus in Leo must be playful, putting on a series of personae. No other sign understands the importance of dressing up as well as Leo. Sometimes the changing of masks goes too far and turns into self-harm under a surgeon’s knife — see Michael Jackson.

First we have the grand-daddy of all image makers, the Sun King himself.

Louis XIV of France, the Sun King. Scorpio Rising, Sun in Virgo — Moon-Venus in Leo. It’s interesting that he chose to project the Venus sign. He doesn’t need to wear a crown — he’s got a whacking great wig.

T.I., Libra Sun.

Madonna wearing a crown thorns. Leo Sun, Virgo Rising

Madonna wearing a crown of thorns. Leo Sun, Virgo Rising

And since Leo is a fire sign, it’s not surprising to find some crowned redheads.

Nicole Kidman as Satine in Moulin Rouge. Scorpio Rising, Gemini Sun, Venus on the MC

Amy Adams as a fairytale princess in Enchanted, Leo Sun, Gemini Rising

Hollywood’s second highest-paid actress, Jennifer Lawrence with a braided crown. Leo Sun. Highest paid is Sandra Bullock — also a Leo Sun.

Bollywood royalty Kareena Kapoor, Virgo Sun.

Gwyneth Paltrow in Shakespeare in Love, Pisces Rising, Libra Sun

Whitney Houston, Leo Sun, Pisces Rising. Big voice, big hair.

Amy Winehouse, big hair too and a big voice. Virgo Sun, Gemini Rising

Lindsey Lohan, Cancer Sun, Gemini Rising. Let’s hope Lohan pulls herself together and doesn’t go the way of Houston and Winehouse.

A couple of thoughts at this stage. One, Lindsey Lohan, Amy Adams, Nicole Kidman and even Jennifer Lawrence could all be sisters – icey Aquarian eyes, and slightly generic good looks. It could be a kind of Hollywoodisation. Aquarius is Leo’s opposite sign, and you could say, they reflect back and forth across the Zodiac. It’s interesting to note that an extraordinary number of models have Venus in Aquarius — they receive the Leo charisma perhaps and make it work for the many.

Two, there are at least three lip enhancements (although not necessarily in these pictures) here plus one self-mutilation and some other work. The next three all famously had work done. Michael Jackson took the Venus in Leo experiment with shaping a new mask to an extreme. Pisces Rising may have given him the illusion that his face was literally infinitely malleable. Venus in Leo may be rather insecure. Leo is a sign that is in quest of identity, of course, despite it’s fixed nature. That is what makes Leo so very creative. This constant reinvention, but at the same time, perhaps, there is a danger of the loss of self. Other points in the chart will help or hinder this.

Emmanuelle Beart, Sun in Leo and Leo Rising with Venus on the Ascendant

Pamela Anderson, Cancer Sun, Gemini Rising

Michael Jackson, Virgo Sun, Pisces Rising.

The following ice-eyed two could be brothers too. In fact, Laurie played Cumberbatch’s dad in a short-lived TV series before either of them became superstars. Neither is especially handsome, but Cumberbatch in particular has a beautiful voice, and the acting talent is, well, as extraordinary as Kidman, Lawrence and Adams.

Benedict Cumberbatch, Cancer Sun, Libra Rising. Venus conjunct Saturn.

Hugh Laurie, Gemini Sun

Another compelling star of the small screen, David Duchovny, Leo Sun

Clive Owen and Nicole Kidman. Both have Venus in Leo. Owen has a Libra Sun.

Tom Cruise, Scorpio Rising, Venus on the MC. No wonder they liked each other for a while

Cruise channelling his inner Madonna in Rock of Ages. Acting really is the perfect profession for Venus in Leo.

Charisma and image are crucial in other professions too. Politicians benefit. The impressive rightwing French politician Marine Le Pen has Venus in Leo, and the equally impressive leftwing French politician Ségolene Royal does too. Between them they appear to be carving up French politics. Both are, of course, women in a man’s world — or more particularly women at the court — a Leo sort of place. Watch out for Royal next year as Jupiter transits her Sun.