U.S. Olympian Alysa Liu Has a Charming Reaction to Paparazzi Encounter
Fresh off her historic double-gold performance at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, Alysa Liu has embraced life beyond the ice. The 20-year-old Bay Area native has been navigating a whirlwind media tour after her incredible figure skating performances. And she’s candidly shared her Olympic playlist and personal reflections as she continues to take a grounded approach to her professional career. Recently, a celebrity photographer caught up with Liu, and she had a charming reaction to the photos. Here’s what happened.
A celebrity photographer caught up with Alysa Liu on the street
At the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Alysa Liu delivered a breakthrough performance that cemented her status as one of figure skating’s best. The 20-year-old won two Olympic gold medals. She first contributed to the United States’ victory in the team event and then captured the women’s individual figure skating title. Her individual gold was particularly historic, as it ended a 24-year drought for American women atop the Olympic podium in the event dating back to Sarah Hughes’s 2002 win.
While Liu knows how to work hard for the gold, she’s also a huge advocate for taking time for herself and her friends. And she doesn’t seem to mind all of the positive attention surrounding her following her historic Olympic wins. In March 2026, celebrity photographer Jackson Lee caught up with Liu as she visited New York City. He posted the footage to his Instagram.
In the clip, Liu smiles and flashes a peace sign at the photographer as he greets her. She looks casual and cool as she wears a hoodie with the hood up, sweatpants, and a puffer jacket. As she walks with a few of her bags, including her infamous strawberrybag, she smiles while looking slightly confused by the attention.
The gold medalist met Simu Liu while in New York in March 2026
Fresh off the Olympics, Alysa Liu took some time to soak in New York City’s cultural scene. This included a stop at the Lyceum Theatre to see the Broadway hit Oh, Mary!.
On March 3, the 20-year-old Olympian was welcomed backstage, where she met Simu Liu, his fiancée Allison Hsu, and members of the show’s cast after watching the dark comedy live, according to People. According to attendees, Alysa’s easygoing personality made an impression as she chatted with performers. She also took photos and even filmed a playful social media reel set to a trending soundtrack.
“Everyone loved her,” an insider told the publication. “She stayed around forever backstage, talking with the cast and taking pictures. She was just the sweetest person.”
The insider noted that the Olympian and Hsu exchanged numbers, as Hsu was also a figure skater. “Simu was showing off his skating moves, too, mimicking moves backstage,” they continued. “He even did, like, a double turn in the air and then went down to his knee during curtain call.”
Liu allegedly loved the Broadway hit so much that she intends to seek out more musicals. “She told them, ‘There’s so much theater I want to see now, I’m totally hooked,'” the source added.
Alysa Liu offered Daniel Radcliffe her gold medals for a photo moment
Alysa Liu experienced another unforgettable moment when she met actor Daniel Radcliffe backstage at NBC’s Today show on March 2, 2026. The meeting quickly went viral online. Liu looked visibly starstruck as Radcliffe greeted her with a hug and a high-five, and he congratulated her for her historic performance. During the encounter, Radcliffe told Liu, “You being you was the most joyful thing I’ve watched.”
The light-hearted exchange got even sweeter when Liu offered Radcliffe the chance to wear one of her gold medals for a photo. Ever the gentleman, Radcliffe politely declined. He joked that wearing it would feel like “stolen valor,” though he was happy to hold it for their selfie instead.
