The 34-year-old skier came out of a three-and-a-half-year retirement in May and is set for his fourth Olympics on the slopes of Milano Cortina next month.
Kenworthy left skiing to continue his acting career but missed it so much he has come back for one last shot at glory.
But he also explained he was spurred on by alpine skiing legend Vonn, 41, who won her first World Cup downhill gold in eight years last month and is now a medal contender at the Games.
“I think her comeback is inspiring and I think she is inspiring,” the slopestyle star said.
Olympians… Assemble 💪
The stage is set and the delegation are ready for @milanocortina26 ❄️
Find out the British athletes on the plane to Italy: https://t.co/4MRyAnLXCf pic.twitter.com/pCjpbrncxw
— Team GB (@TeamGB) January 26, 2026
“Her season this year has been absolutely insane.
“We’ve spoken a little bit. We’ve been rooting one another on. I’ve sent messages of support as she’s been going through the season, and she’s done the same to me. I think there’s definitely a mutual respect there.
“We haven’t sat down and hashed out [our] comebacks or anything, or had a heart to heart, we’ve both been in the thick of it.
“But she’s messaged me to say, ‘good luck’ and ‘you’ve got this’. After, I got a podium at Snow League, she sent me ‘congratulations’ and she commented on my post about making the Team GB squad.”
Kenworthy represented the USA during his first two Olympic appearances and won silver at Sochi 2014.
Born in Chelmsford to a British mother, he heads to Italy for his second tilt at glory as part of Team GB.
Despite his skiing success, Kenworthy is perhaps best known for being the first action sports star to come out as gay ten years ago and his frank honesty when discussing mental health.
He has a social media following of 1.2 million on Instagram and more than four million views on his YouTube channel and his followers got the exclusive that he is off to the Games.
Kenworthy accidentally revealed it before the scheduled announcement, leading to frantic calls from Team GB bosses but by that point, he had switched his phone to do not disturb.
If he wins a medal, then all will be forgiven and his form is strong.
He returned to competition in December, finishing fourth and eighth in World Cup events at Copper and Buttermilk respectively.
His progress bodes well and the former actor, who appeared in American Horror Story in 2019 and has also been in RuPaul’s Drag Race, is unsurprised by his performances.
“I wouldn’t have gone forward and set out on this journey if I didn’t have that confidence that I would make it back to the Games,” he added, ahead of competing at the X Games in Colorado this weekend.
“I knew it would be an uphill battle given the short timeframe and the fact I had had so much time off. But also, whether it was totally unfounded to think so, I had this quiet confidence that I could do it.
“So, I’m nothing, if not delusional.
“I sincerely believe that I can make the podium. Obviously, it is a lot easier said than done. There are a lot more people in medal contention, but I have been working hard.
“I feel old, but it’s good. It’s fun, I’ve worked really hard and I have a new run I have not unveiled yet, so we’ll see what I can do.
“If I land it, then it will be up to the judges obviously, but I think it could be a medal-worthy run if I execute.”
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