Kenworthy is gunning to reach the finals in the half-pipe, an event in which he’d finished eighth at the previous Games. He is among several star athletes attempting comebacks this year, including the legendary alpine skier Lindsey Vonn, who, at forty-one—with a knee replacement—recently won her latest World Cup. “My comeback is jealous of her comeback,” Kenworthy told me one recent afternoon at Soho House, in New York, as he drank cold brew served in a brandy snifter. Kenworthy had a gold ring in his right ear and wore a white hoodie from Moncler, one of his brand sponsors. He was preparing to head to Aspen for the X Games, freestyle skiing’s banner event—and arguably a bigger deal for skiers than the Olympics. He’ll compete on Sunday, and then head to Milan. We spent three hours discussing his athletic breakthrough, his acting career, and the parallels between his life and the surprise hit TV series “Heated Rivalry,” which follows the clandestine relationship of a pair of closeted gay hockey players. Our conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.