On Monday night, the majority of Canada tuned into the 2018 Winter Olympics as ice dancing duo Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir captured the gold medal once again in Pyeong Chang, but many fans were left expecting something more. A kiss, a proposal on the podium or the announcement of their secret baby perhaps? The crackpot theories about the couple’s relationship, that they admit is a lot like a marriage, if that marriage was “platonic business agreement” (yeah, right), are endless. So far, none of those events have happened, but one thing is for sure: after a fiery final performance of their Moulin Rouge! medley, Canada’s ice dancing darlings have garnered some international attention!
The pair, from Ilderton and London, Ontario, was trending #1 on Twitter just the other night and have captured the hearts of celebrities such as Ryan Reynolds, Leslie Jones and Moulin Rouge! director Baz Lurhmann.
Whether it be the infamous “hug”, throwback posts from their childhood, or gazing lovingly into each other’s eyes, Tessa and Scott have been skating together for over twenty years now, providing decades of moments that make it far too easy to fall down the #VirtueMoir rabbit hole. Some of the responses from their newest fans online are downright hilarious, as they are not buying the pair’s “just friends” storyline.
I, for one, being a hopeless romantic, still have faith that they will somehow end up together (if they aren’t already), but it got me thinking, as a communications student, if they aren’t secretly dating, this has got to be one of the greatest marketing tactics of all time! Just think about it for a second. The Olympics are probably the most nationalist event there ever was, but Tessa and Scott are selling something that you don’t even have to like ice dancing to buy: love. Their chemistry on the ice can make a fan out of anyone, as other countries are jumping ship to support and sensationalize the Canadian duo. And I’m sure that they’re tired of the “will they/ won’t they” comments but they practically encourage the rumours on social media and play coy in interviews when asked about their “special relationship”.
You may have made it through these last Olympics nearly unscathed, but now you’ve opened Pandora’s box and the rest of the world is watching and looking for answers. Tessa and Scott have got some serious explaining to do …