Alysa Liu has become one of the biggest stars in the world after her performance at the 2026 Winter Olympics. The 20-year-old figure skater has turned into a worldwide sensation thanks to her personality and her gold medal in the free skate. It has seen Liu’s schedule booked and busy since returning from the Olympics, with numerous television appearances. Her latest appearance, however, saw her make a cameo on an iconic NBC program.

Audience members at a recent Tonight Show taping got an unexpected thrill when the two-time Olympic champion made a surprise cameo. Alysa stepped into frame with both of her gold medals gleaming as host Jimmy Fallon set up the moment perfectly in his monologue.

“Alysa, what are you doing here?” Fallon asked.

“I heard you needed some gold,” Liu replied.

Stunned, the host asked if she planned to give him one of her medals. But she smiled and said, “Oh, I’ve got something even better.”

Alysa Liu then unveiled a wig identical to her signature blonde-and-black striped Halo hairstyle, drawing cheers from the audience. The segment marked her third and briefest Tonight Show appearance since her debut on the NBC show in 2019 at age 13.

That debut hit in 2019, right before her two-year break from the ice. She roared back in December, electric with pre-Olympic fire and challenged Jimmy Fallon with her viral routines. They squared off head-to-head to guess her performances, during which Fallon nailed two of three guesses. The crowd roared louder with every hit.

Alysa flipped the challenge before her official 2026 Games comeback. The 20-year-old brought her own test straight from training. Fallon faced her star power once more.

“I brought a few videos of me on the ice during training, and I want to see if you can guess what the element is,” she said in December 2025.

Clips rolled: triple lutz-triple loop combo, Biellmann spin, triple axel. Fallon got two right. But the fans owned it, erupting after each one. Perfect hype for Liu’s gold-medal free skate to “MacArthur Park Suite” by Donna Summer at the Winter Olympics. Her performance has since gone viral, having ended America’s 24-year women’s singles drought since Sarah Hughes and grabbed the first U.S. women’s medal since Sasha Cohen in 2006.

This isn’t her first appearance on a television show since her return from the Olympics. Liu has been booked to the rafters with appearances on the Today Show and more.

Alysa Liu reflects on staying present and blocking out the score

And on The Today Show, Alysa Liu opened up about her mental state before going on the ice. The 20-year-old stunned the world with her presence and disposition during the Olympics. So much so that many paid tribute to her two-year hiatus and praised her for changing things around the support.

But on The Today Show, Liu went on to reveal her mindset before getting on the ice. She confessed that she doesn’t need any pep talk and instead uses the energy of the audience to help set her up. Liu also touched upon her performance during her gold medal run.

“I was not thinking about the score even after I competed,” Liu said, as per Inc. “I was just still kind of in that, ‘Oh, I just skated my life out right now.”

It clearly worked for Alysa Liu as she became the first American woman to win a gold medal in figure skating since 2002. That return to ice showed that Liu’s hiatus clearly had an impact on her, and she confirmed that she will perform at the 2030 Olympics. 

For now, she’s listed for the 2026 ISU World Figure Skating Championships from March 24-29 on her official schedule. All eyes will be on the American star to bring her gold-winning moves once again.

The post Alysa Liu Gets Major Live Television Spotlight After Gold Medal Win appeared first on EssentiallySports.



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