Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir Turn Secret Signals Into Standout TV on The Traitors

Figure skating legends Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir are gliding through the latest season of The Traitors with a mix of showmanship, subterfuge, and unmistakable charm, quickly becoming fan favorites while navigating one of TV’s most cutthroat reality competitions.

A fan-favorite duo in a brutal game

The duo, 43 and 41 respectively, are best known to millions for their figure skating careers and on-air chemistry as analysts. On The Traitors, where deception rules and players “murder” and banish one another in pursuit of a cash prize, they’ve won over viewers not with ruthless gameplay but with warmth and wit. In a format that often rewards manipulation, their gentler approach has stood out—proof that empathy can still create big reality moments.

The season’s setup—an elaborate murder-mystery contest in a Scottish castle—has thrown the pair into tense ceremonies, hushed corridors, and high-stakes votes. While some rivals sharpen knives, Lipinski and Weir lean into humor and humanity, creating unlikely levity mid-plot twist.

A pact to play strangers

Before cameras rolled, the longtime friends made a pact: enter the game as allies, but pretend they weren’t close. They received the casting call together, aligned immediately, and walked into the castle determined to keep their bond under wraps. That decision set the stage for an unusual balancing act—operating as a unit without giving other contestants reason to suspect them.

It wasn’t easy. The pair is famous for sitting shoulder-to-shoulder and exchanging knowing glances. Weir acknowledged how strange it felt to be in the same room without holding hands, while Lipinski described the dynamic as so instinctive that it felt almost telepathic. Their chemistry off the ice translated into a covert strategy on the show—discreet, precise, and unmistakably them.

Speaking in code: fingers, eyes, and skating jumps

To coordinate without raising alarms, the two devised a secret code. They brushed fingers when passing in hallways. They used eye movements to signal caution or agreement at the round table. They even gossiped in plain sight by swapping in terms from the figure skating world, using jump names as stand-ins to cloak their targets and theories.

Lipinski said they would steal quick moments alone to plot or even sneak in a hug, then slip back into character. Weir echoed the challenge of maintaining the charade—avoiding eye contact, creating distance, and playing down a friendship that fans know as inseparable. The code became their safety rope, letting them send clear messages in a sea of suspicion.

Kindness as a competitive edge

While their strategic savvy has been uneven at times—by their own admission—the pair’s impact is unmistakable. Their demeanor has offered a striking contrast to the game’s harsher tactics, highlighting that vulnerability and humor can move the needle just as effectively as double-crosses. One reality TV observer noted that in a format built on backstabbing, genuine emotion stands out even more, and the duo’s bond connects effortlessly with audiences.

Their dynamic also serves as a reminder of what made them household names beyond medals: a blend of theatrical flair, quick wit, and an ability to turn any broadcast into a duet. Even when the game turns ruthless, they remain steadfastly themselves—sparkly, mischievous, and inviting viewers into a friendship that feels both intimate and indestructible.

A well-timed spotlight with the Winter Games

Their turn on The Traitors arrives as the global spotlight swings back to figure skating. The pair continue to anchor major skating broadcasts, bringing their familiar rapport to competition coverage while their reality-TV adventure unfolds. The overlap has amplified their visibility and reintroduced their partnership to new audiences discovering them for the first time on a different kind of stage.

They first bonded a decade ago while preparing to call Olympic action, and their origin story remains the stuff of instant-classic friendships: matching designer bags, shared sense of humor, and a creative language all their own. “Immediately it just clicked,” Lipinski recalled of those early days. The bond that formed then—equal parts sincere and irreverent—now powers a stealthy alliance in a game where every look and whisper can change a fate.

With the season deepening and stakes rising, the question isn’t just whether they can outlast the traitors. It’s whether their brand of joy and gentle mischief can keep disarming a game defined by paranoia. If their trajectory so far is any hint, Lipinski and Weir won’t just survive the castle—they’ll skate right through it, hand signals and all.