Let the games begin! After a one-year delay amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Tokyo Olympics have finally arrived. After the Parade of Nations and Opening Ceremony took place in July 2021, the athletes have begun competing in all sorts of new and existing sporting events — and racking up medals.
Just like Us, many celebrities have been getting into the patriotic spirit as they watch the best-of-the-best athletes compete. In honor of the global Games, Us Weekly has rounded up all of the stars who enjoy watching the Olympics via television or in-person.
Many spectators are in total awe of Simone Biles — known as the GOAT in gymnastics — including one of her own Team USA athletes. Brooke Raboutou is making her Olympic debut on the American climbing team as the sport makes its first Games appearance, and she looks up to many of her fellow Olympians, including Biles.
“I’ve always been very inspired by her,” Raboutou exclusively told Us. “Her mix of gracefulness and being powerful and so strong. And I just love watching her compete and teaching us.”
While spectators couldn’t attend the events in person, they turned on their TVs to watch. In an Instagram post during the Opening Ceremony, Priyanka Chopra Jonas wrote, “I’m sitting in front of my TV watching the opening of the Olympic Games happening right now in Tokyo and the mood is somber, yet the moment feels nostalgic. We all know the games are unlike anything we’ve experienced before, with the best of the best athletes in the world competing for the pride of their countries. The arenas may be without an audience, but our cheers won’t stop, no matter where we are.”
The Quantico alum continued in her post, “Good luck to everyone participating. Know that you are giving an embattled world something to collectively cheer for.”
The summer Olympics were originally scheduled to take place in Tokyo in July 2020, however, organizers were forced to postpone the events as the COVID-19 pandemic spread worldwide.
“Together with its Japanese partners and friends, the IOC is fully concentrated on and committed to the successful delivery of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 this year,” the International Olympic Committee (IOC) previously wrote in a statement in January 2021. In the message, the IOC acknowledged that “all possible countermeasures against COVID-19” would be taken into account to keep athletes safe when the Games kicked off.
After the Games kicked off on Friday, July 23, 2021, the athletes have been hungry and excited to get back to what they do best: Compete for the gold.
“This means so much to me. I’ve worked so hard for the past couple of years,” Sunisa “Suni” Lee previously told NBC after she made the women’s gymnastics team. “To just go on the floor and do everything I was supposed to do feels amazing. Thinking about this moment right here, making the Olympic team at the Olympic trials [powered me through].”
Scroll below to see which celebrities love watching the Olympics:
The Ma star tweeted her support of the gymnasts competing in Tokyo in July 2021. "Men’s all around gymnastics is a nail biter," she wrote. During the women's portion of the event, she added, "Wow! These gymnasts are dynamic. Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade whoa. Congratulations to all of you representing your countries." Magnus Sundholm/Shutterstock
The Scandal alum shared her thoughts on the gymnastics competition in the 2020 Olympics, including Biles' decision to step away for her mental health. "When you win the USA 5 Gold Medals and 1 Silver Medal, you deserve to take some time for yourself," she tweeted in July 2021. "@Simone_Biles, WE LOVE YOU." After Biles' teammate Lee took home the gold medal in the individual all-around, Washington posted a GIF of the gymnast with the comment, "SUNI LEE. That’s the tweet." Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock
The comedian shared a snap to her Instagram in July 2021 while she watched the women’s volleyball match. She captioned the pic, “I just tested positive for OLYMPIC FEVER! #ateam @nbcolympics @alixklineman @aprilrossbeach.” Courtesy Amy Schumer/Instagram; Kristina Bumphrey/StarPix/Shutterstock
The Felicity alum watched the women’s gymnastics qualifiers. He wrote alongside an Instagram snap of his TV tuned into Biles performing her beam routine, “Get it @simonebiles !!! #usašŗšø.” Courtesy Scott Foley/Instagram; AFF-USA/Shutterstock
The Baywatch star noted the “somber” mood while watching the Opening Ceremony from her living room in July 2021, but offered well wishes for the athletes via Instagram. “All the very best to the Refugee Olympic Team… I’m cheering for you!! Your presence sends such a powerful message of hope to the world,” she captioned her post. “Best of luck #TeamIndia! I’m cheering for each and everyone of you!” Courtesy of Priyanka Chopra/Instagram
The Waitress composer shared a selfie via Instagram in July 2021 wearing a USA baseball cap and standing beside a cardboard cutout of Olympic swimmer, Caeleb Dressel. “Just a couple of best friends hanging out and being subtle,” she captioned the snap. “GO TEAM USA!!! #tokyoolympics @nbcolympics I cannot wait to watch!!!! @caelebdressel šššššššš” Courtesy of Sara Bareilles/Instagram
The supermodel showed her support for her native Brazil via Instagram in July 2021. “Geared up and ready for the game! #VaiBrasil," she wrote on her page. Broadimage/Shutterstock
The “Bigger Love” crooner was humbled to single a new version of “Imagine” for the Tokyo Games’ Opening Ceremony. He expressed via Instagram at the time, “It's a song we still need in this moment and I'm honored to have performed it with the incredible Angelique Kidjo, Alejandro Sanz, Keith Urban, Hans Zimmer and the Japanese Children's Choir.” Courtesy of John Legend/Instagram
The SNL star made headlines for live-tweeting the 2016 Summer Olympics, and NBC took notice. NBC Olympics executive producer Jim Bell invited her to travel to Rio, Brazil, and join the network’s coverage. During her trip, Jones played table tennis with Mary Carillo, got her own USA Water polo robe and posed for photos with the Olympians. Courtesy of Leslie Jones/Instagram
Along with his wife, Camila Alves, the actor was photographed having the time of his life in Rio at the 2016 Summer Olympics. The pair was spotted in the audience supporting the U.S. Olympic Swimming, Rugby and Basketball teams. Jean Catuffe/Getty Images
After contributing to NBC’s coverage of the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Seacrest served as NBC’s late-night Olympics host in Rio. The American Idol host spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about loving his gig — and the Games — in August 2016: “What’s great about the Olympics is that they’re about sports, but they’re also about people’s stories. I love to talk to people about their stories, whether it’s in sports, entertainment or everyday life. It’s still about how did they get here, how did they do and where are they going — that’s the foundation of any great conversation with someone about their story.” Courtesy of Ryan Seacrest/Twitter; Inset: Paul Drinkwater/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
The Parks and Rec alum frequently took to social media to share videos of his family, including then-wife Anna Faris and son Jack, watching the Games in 2016. Victor Chavez/WireImage
The couple love the Olympics so much that they rocked matching Ralph Lauren blazers — the same one that Michael Phelps wore — during the Rio Olympics opening ceremony. “Arm chair Olympians. Go team USA!!! We got your back!” Kutcher captioned the photo via Instagram at the time. Courtesy of Ashton Kutcher/Instagram
Fans of the Oscar winner will remember the photos of Redmayne and his wife Hannah going wild in the stands of Rio 2016. Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
Jackson was one of the first stars to live-tweet the Olympics. Back in August 2012, the actor cheered for all things Team USA, including swimming, gymnastics, weightlifting and badminton. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
The Sex and the City star shared a photo watching the 2016 Opening Ceremonies via Instagram. “Yes! Let the games begin. X, Sj #rio2016,” she wrote at the time. Theo Wargo/Getty Images for NBC
After Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles revealed how much she loved Efron, the actor made a special trip to Rio in 2016 to surprise Biles and her Final Five teammates: Gabby Douglas, Aly Raisman, Laurie Hernandez and Madison Koican. Courtesy of Zac Efron/Twitter
The Pitch Perfect actress, who tweeted about the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, shared photos from in the stands in Rio 2016. Courtesy of Elizabeth Banks/Twitter
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