Alysa Liu enjoyed a playful backstage moment with actor Daniel Radcliffe during an appearance on the Today show on March 2, posing for selfies with her gold medal from the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.
The 20-year-old Olympic champion greeted Radcliffe behind the scenes at the morning broadcast, according to videos shared by Today. Radcliffe entered the room and warmly hugged Liu, who was holding her gold medals from the 2026 Winter Games.
The pair exchanged a high five before snapping several photos together on Radcliffe’s phone. “Oh my lord,” Liu said as Radcliffe approached. At one point, Liu offered to let Radcliffe try on one of her gold medals for a picture.
“I wasn’t going to ask,” Radcliffe said before ultimately deciding against placing it around his neck. “It feels like stolen valor,” he joked as Liu continued encouraging him to wear it. Radcliffe instead held the medal as they posed for another photo.
Radcliffe also took a moment to praise Liu’s performance at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, telling her, “You being you was the most joyful thing I’ve watched,” referring to her gold medal-winning skate.
The official U.S. Figure Skating account later joined in on the fun, drawing a playful comparison between Liu’s Olympic triumph and Radcliffe’s iconic role as Harry Potter. The account wrote, “Gold snitch catcher 🤝 gold medalist.”
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Liu won two gold medals at the 2026 Winter Olympics. She secured gold in the team event on February 8 and captured another gold medal in the women’s free skate on February 19 with a program set to “MacArthur Park” by Donna Summer.
Alysa Liu Reflects On Olympic Success And Return To Skating
Alysa Liu’s Olympic triumph followed a notable return to the sport. For the unversed, she stepped away from competitive figure skating in 2022 before resuming training in 2024.
After her victory in Milan, Liu spoke about the attention that followed her success. She told PEOPLE she is uncertain whether she wants to embrace the label of role model, even as her profile continues to rise.
“I wouldn’t tell anyone to force their joy in something they don’t actually like. I actually really enjoy the sport, and I don’t know, it just comes naturally, and it’s really fun, spinning and stuff, gliding on the ice,” she said in Milan on February 20.
“Taking breaks is okay,” added Liu. “Sometimes, taking a step back is what’s needed to see the full picture.”
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Liu’s two gold medals in Milan marked a milestone in her comeback and concluded a competitive season that began with her return to international skating in 2024.
