TL;DR

• Gay Olympian Gus Kenworthy says Heated Rivalry parallels his own closeted years.
• He reveals Miley Cyrus was his “Rose Landry,” mirroring Shane Hollander’s storyline.
• Kenworthy was deeply moved by Episode 3, which spotlights closeted skater Scott Hunter.
• He related to the yearning to be out and in love publicly.
• Kenworthy returns to the Olympics while embracing queer advocacy and creative projects.

Gus Kenworthy Says Heated Rivalry Mirrors His Own Life—And Reveals His ‘Rose Landry’

Queer Sports Drama Meets Real-Life Olympic Heartache

Gay Olympian Gus Kenworthy is living proof that sometimes fiction nails reality a little too perfectly. In a candid interview, the 34-year-old skier revealed that the hit queer hockey series Heated Rivalry hit him square in the chest—not just with its star-crossed athletes Shane and Ilya, but with Shane’s ill-fated, very heterosexual detour with movie star Rose Landry.

Why? Because in Kenworthy’s pre–coming out life, his Rose Landry was none other than global pop princess Miley Cyrus.

Before Kenworthy came out publicly in 2015, tabloids linked him romantically to the singer. Now he says that relationship played the same symbolic role Rose plays for Shane Hollander—an attempt to fit into a narrative that wasn’t really his.

“Miley Cyrus Was My Own Rose”

Kenworthy told The New Yorker he initially wrote off Heated Rivalry as “thirsty gays being horny,” but everything changed with Episode 3—the emotional pivot to closeted hockey player Scott Hunter and his secret romance with Kip.

That storyline cracked something open.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen myself reflected onscreen like that,” he said. “The parallels are insane… I also had a secret relationship with these clandestine meetings and hookups. And Miley Cyrus was my own Rose.”

He explained that being linked to a successful, beautiful woman felt comforting at the time—like social camouflage. But, he admits, “It’s not the same as when you’re with a guy.”

It’s one of the clearest, most heartfelt depictions yet of how queer athletes maneuvered public expectations pre–coming out—grasping for safety in the straight narratives handed to them.

The Yearning to Be Seen—Onscreen and Off

Kenworthy also connected deeply to Scott Hunter’s arc, describing the character’s fear, longing, and desire to live openly. “He wanted to be out, but truly felt like he couldn’t be,” he said. “That was me for so many years.”

It’s a rare moment where a decorated Olympian articulates the emotional tax of the closet in elite sports—a world still hostile to LGBTQ+ athletes despite increasing visibility.

And judging from his comments, Heated Rivalry gave him something he’d never experienced: not just representation, but resonance.

Miley Responds—and She’s Ready to Join the Party

Cyrus, ever the queer ally and chaos angel, chimed in to say she’s “so in” to contribute music for Season 2—despite not having watched the show yet. But she admits she hears about it constantly, proving that the queer hockey phenomenon has become the pop culture moment nobody saw coming.

Kenworthy’s Next Chapter: Out, Proud, and Back at the Olympics

Kenworthy is heading to Italy for his fourth Winter Olympics after coming out of retirement. And honey, he’s been busy in the meantime—sewing NSFW jockstraps, launching a book club with Dylan Mulvaney, starring in American Horror Story, and showing up on Drag Race All Stars.

That’s the kind of queer multi-hyphenate energy we love to see.

The LGBTQ+ Impact: Representation That Hits the Heart

What’s striking is how deeply Heated Rivalry—a show about gay hockey players—has touched LGBTQ+ athletes far outside its sport. For skaters, skiers, swimmers, and runners who spent years hiding, queer romance onscreen isn’t just entertainment. It’s catharsis. It’s permission to heal.

Kenworthy’s story underscores why representation matters: it doesn’t just show queer love; it helps queer people make sense of their own.

With the Olympics approaching, Kenworthy is stepping into the global spotlight again—but this time authentically, fully himself, with no Rose required.

And that’s the real victory.