Olympic champion Alysa Liu recently had a special moment when she met Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe backstage at the show Today. However, what Radcliffe did when asked if he wanted to wear her gold medal caught people’s attention.
Liu, 20, had just made history at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, where she won two gold medals in figure skating. When the two met backstage, Radcliffe greeted her warmly. He gave her a hug and a high-five while congratulating her on her incredible performance.
At one point, Liu even offered the actor a chance to try on her Olympic gold medal. But the Harry Potter actor politely refused.
“I wasn’t going to ask,” Radcliffe said when she first offered.
Even though Liu told him it was okay, the actor still decided not to wear it.
“It feels like stolen valor,” Radcliffe explained.
Alysa Liu, Daniel Radcliffe. Credit: Youtube/Today
Instead, he simply held the medal for a photo while they took selfies together. During their meeting, Radcliffe also shared how much he enjoyed watching Liu skate.
Daniel Radcliffe praised for ‘refusing’ to wear Alysa Liu’s Olympic gold medal
“You being you was the most joyful thing I’ve watched,” he told the Olympic champion.
Liu’s success at the Olympics has been nothing but remarkable. She first won gold in the team event on February 8. Later, she won another gold medal in the women’s singles competition on February 19 with a free skate to Donna Summer’s song “MacArthur Park.”
Her victory was historic. She became the first American woman to win Olympic gold in women’s singles figure skating in 24 years.
MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 19: Gold medalist Alysa Liu of Team United States celebrates on the podium during the medal ceremony for the Women’s Single Skating – Free Skating on day thirteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at Milano Ice Skating Arena on February 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Tang Xinyu/VCG via Getty Images)
Despite her success, Liu remains humble and relaxed about the future.
“If I mess up and do a horrible program, I would totally be OK with that, actually. So there’s nothing to be nervous about,” she said.
Many people online praised Radcliffe for his respectful reaction. They felt he showed great respect for the hard work that went into Liu’s medal.
And in the end, the moment became a sweet meeting between two stars from very different worlds — one from Olympic ice and one from the movie screen.
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