American Luger Sean Hollander Is Ready For The Olympics — And The 'heated Rivalry' Jokes

The unexpected comparison, however, does not look to rattle nan Lake Placid, New York, native, who vanished 8th successful nan Olympic trials alongside his sliding partner, Zachary DiGregorio, to unafraid a spot.

Hollander competed for Team USA successful Beijing successful 2022 and has since won nan World Cup successful 2023 and racked up a number of medals successful nan athletics alongside DiGregorio, who will beryllium joining Hollander for an Olympic reprise.

Before nan Games statesman connected Feb. 6, however, Jones told NBC News she plans to make him watch nan show successful Italy.

The series, based connected Rachel Reid’s romance novels, follows lucky phenom Shane Hollander (played by Hudson Williams) and his secret, decade-long romance pinch his rival, Russian-born Ilya Rozanov (played by Connor Storrie). The brace transportation connected their concealed tryst for years until nan season’s last episode, erstwhile they are recovered retired by Hollander’s parents.

Representatives for Williams did not instantly respond to a petition for remark connected nan sanction similarity.

Since nan series’ debut successful precocious November, nan show has go nan internet’s latest obsession, inspiring a real-life lucky subordinate to travel out and catapulting its 2 breakout actors into ace stardom. Williams and Storrie were moreover elected for nan Olympic torch relay, carrying nan torch successful nan 49th limb of nan travel done Veneto connected Sunday.

For Hollander, nan comparison to a closeted master fictional jock isn’t jarring, considering nan comments he sometimes receives arsenic a doubles luge athlete.

“I mean, nan athletics that I participate successful arsenic well, already has a batch of cheery connotations and cheery jokes astir it, particularly during nan Olympics, truthful this, I think, is going to make that tenfold and wholly ramp up,” he said, laughing. “Luge ever gets nan cheery jokes astatine nan Olympics because it’s 2 guys successful velocity suits lying connected apical of each other. It’s benignant of an easy one.”