Gus Kenworthy, a freestyle skier who represented the U.S. at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, reflected on a highly publicized romance he was linked to before coming out, saying it felt like something straight out of Heated Rivalry. Born in the U.K. and raised in Telluride, Colorado, Kenworthy publicly came out in October 2015, but before that, he found himself connected to some big-name celebrities.
In a candid conversation with The New Yorker, Kenworthy revealed that after earning silver in Men’s Slopestyle, he was romantically linked to Miley Cyrus. At the time, Cyrus was riding the wave of Bangerz success while under intense media scrutiny. She began following Kenworthy on social media after he mentioned her as someone he was attracted to in a post-Olympics interview. Comparing the situation to the dynamic between Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Rose Landry (Sophie Nélisse) on Heated Rivalry, Kenworthy said his own real-life experience added an extra layer of depth to watching the series.
“Miley Cyrus was my own Rose, this famous person I was suddenly connected to, and even though a part of me wanted it…it’s not the same as being with a guy,” Kenworthy said. He also addressed being linked to both Cyrus and fellow Olympian Gracie Gold, who won bronze with Team USA in 2014, noting that Cyrus was among the celebrities who made him feel supported as he edged closer to coming out.
Kenworthy, who last competed at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, has been a strong voice for LGBTQ+ representation in professional sports since coming out in 2015. He also shared that he plans to return to competition after previously saying Beijing would be his final Games, revealing he will compete as a freestyle skier for Team Great Britain at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina this February.
