Gus Kenworthy, a freestyle skier who competed for the U.S. in the 2014 Sochi Games, opened up about a cover-up romance he publicized before coming out that feels like it was straight out of Heated Rivalry. Kenworthy, who was born in the U.K. but raised in Telluride, Colorado, came out publicly in October 2015. Prior to opening up to the world about his sexuality, however, he was linked to some major names.
Speaking candidly to The New Yorker, Kenworthy shared that after winning the silver medal in Men's Slopestyle, he was linked romantically to Miley Cyrus. Cyrus, coming off the success of Bangerz and dealing with media scrutiny, followed Kenworthy on social media after he named her as someone he was attracted to in a post-Olympics interview. Relating it to Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Rose Landry's (Sophie Nélisse) relationship on Heated Rivalry, Kenworthy explained that his own lived experience made the show that much richer.
"Miley Cyrus was my own Rose, this famous person that I was suddenly linked to, and as much as I kind of wanted it...it’s not the same as when you’re with a guy," Kenworthy shared. Opening up about the fact that he was linked to both Cyrus and fellow Olympian Gracie Gold, who took home the bronze with Team USA in 2014, Kenworthy revealed that Cyrus was one of the stars he felt supported by as he came close to coming out.
Kenworthy, who most recently competed in the 2022 Beijing Olympics, has been vocal about LGBTQ+ advocacy in the world of professional sports since coming out in 2015. The skier revealed he'll be returning to competition despite originally calling Beijing his last Olympics, and will be competing as a freestyle skier for Team Great Britain for the 2026 Winter Olympics this February in Milano Cortina.
