Gus Kenworthy has watched a lot of intense things in his life (hello, Olympic halfpipe), but he says Heated Rivalry hit him in a way he genuinely wasn’t ready for.
In a new interview with The New Yorker, Gus admitted he went into the buzzy queer hockey series thinking it was basically just thirst content — and then Episode 3 came along and made it personal.
He said the closeted storyline felt like looking into a mirror, because it reminded him of his own “secret relationship,” complete with the kind of clandestine meetups and hookups you pull off when you’re not out and you’re terrified of being seen.
And when he said “the parallels are kind of insane,” he really meant it, because he’s talking about that specific kind of closeted living where you’re constantly doing mental math about risk, safety, and who might be watching.
Gus also reflected on the weird public “cover story” era of his life — including being linked to Miley Cyrus after the 2014 Olympics — and explained why the attention almost felt useful back then, even though it wasn’t actually authentic to who he was.
He compared that Miley moment to the show’s “Rose” dynamic, basically describing it as the famous, convenient narrative that can help you hide the truth when you’re not ready to say it out loud.
But he was also blunt about the difference: being publicly linked to a woman might have looked neat on paper, yet it didn’t touch the reality of what it feels like to be with a guy when that’s who you actually are.
And honestly, that’s why this story lands, because it’s not just gossip — it’s a reminder of how many queer athletes learn to survive by performing a version of themselves that feels “safe” to everyone else.
Meanwhile, Gus is also very much in his comeback era, because he was just confirmed for what will be his fourth Olympics — and yes, his boyfriend Andrew Rigby has been right there cheering him on as he gears up for Milan-Cortina 2026.
If you missed that update, we covered it here: Gus Kenworthy is officially headed for Olympics #4.
What’s especially delicious is how this Heated Rivalry moment connects the dots between queer storytelling on screen and the very real emotional cost of staying hidden in elite sport.
It’s also a big neon sign for why this series has people so obsessed, because it’s serving romance and heat while still sneaking in the kind of truth that can make your throat tighten when you least expect it.
Either way, Gus basically just gave the fandom the ultimate stamp of approval: yes it’s hot, but it’s also real, and sometimes the realness is what makes the heat hit even harder.
📷 IG: @ guskenworthy / cravecanada