This Leo Season Brings Bold Energy—and Major Drama

preview for Dua Lipa Is Not Your Typical Leo | Starstruck | Elle

There won’t be a shortage of scroll-stopping moments in the final weeks of July. Leo season kicks off on the 22nd, followed by a Leo new moon on the 24th. Oh, and Mercury is retrograde in Leo from July 18 to August 11. This cosmic recipe is stacked for drama. The only question is: Will you play an active role in the performance—or nibble on popcorn and make it a spectator sport?

No matter your choice this Leo season, it wouldn’t hurt to borrow the “sensitive gangster” vibe of Love Island USA season 7 winner Amaya Espinal. Lead with your heart—but don’t let people toy with your emotions. And if that means keeping your options open until someone comes along who fits the bill? So be it. Like “Amaya Papaya,” you might just come out the winner.

Another Leo-coded hero to look to this month? Jessica, the fun, messy main character played by Megan Stalter in Lena Dunham’s new Netflix series, Too Much. (Though we don’t necessarily condone breaking into your ex’s apartment or discussing UTIs at your boss’s dinner party.) Even so, Stalter’s Jessica lets it all hang out, which is exactly what captures the heart of British indie rocker Felix, played by Will Sharpe. This is Leo season gold!

a compilation of a golden lion, a green gemstone, and blue flowers

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But beware: It’s definitely possible to hit the oversaturation point this summer. Once Mercury is in retrograde, endearing traits can suddenly feel performative. Behaviors that once garnered rave reviews could get the old “not tonight, babe.”

And if that goes down? Well, with Mercury in reverse, self-reflection is warranted. Is it them? Is it you? Is it both of you?

We like to think of self-expression happening in two separate fields: the individual field and the relational field. The individual field is all about you doing you—other people’s opinions be damned. The relational field demands accountability. Are you tuning in to the other person’s energy? Are you interested in meeting them where they are, while also being your authentic self? This is a skill worth polishing. At its best, Leo energy feels more like interactive theater than a Broadway performance.

While Leo season is usually a time for unfettered experimentation, in 2025, we’ll need to pull back a touch. But don’t stem the tide of ideas that flow in. There will be many, especially near the Leo new moon on July 24. Capture them all for consideration in your Notes app, on a mood board, whatever. There are bound to be some gems in there. Mercury retrograde is a great time for reviewing all the half-started projects and plans that are gathering dust in your archives.

Just save any hard launches for Virgo season, when common sense prevails once again. In the meantime, make the most of Leo’s playful vibes. Dance on rooftops, flirt at swim-up bars, meet friends for umbrella drinks and ridiculous gossip. This is the zodiac sign ruled by the life-giving sun, after all, and it’s time we all enjoyed that shine.