We Finally Know The Origin Of Olympic Gold-Medalist Alysa Liu's Lucky Charms Profile Picture

It's safe to say that figure skater Alysa Liu became an American icon by winning two gold medals at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, and has done so by being authentically herself throughout her long and storied journey to the top. One aspect of this authenticity can be seen through her presence on social media sites like Instagram, where the 20-year-old ice skater dons a profile picture of a white bowl filled with Lucky Charms marshmallows. 

While most wouldn't expect one of the world's very best athletes to be repping one of the most iconic junk foods, Liu was quick to reveal her admiration for the marshmallows during an interview with @OverTimeWBB on TikTok that transpired during her time in Italy.

"I love the Lucky Charm marshmallows," Liu admitted. "I picked all of them out [of the box] ... sometimes I do like a mix, but for that case specifically, I was like 'I need just the marshmallows and some soy milk.'" As for why she chose to express her love of Lucky Charms marshmallows and use it as her profile picture, Liu gave as good an answer as any when it comes to choosing a photo that defines your online identity. "I think it's super aesthetic, and I think it captures me, kind of, my personality, my essence, a little bit."

While Liu's choice to substitute regular milk with some plant-based soy milk may raise a few eyebrows, it's hard to call her preference for just the marshmallows in Lucky Charms anything but relatable. While many would argue that the delicious gluten-free cereal is at its best when there are just enough pieces of the oat cereal to balance the sweetness of the marshmallows, it's no surprise that some prefer going all or nothing with the cereal. In fact, Lucky Charms has a long history of cultivating fans who want to pick out all of the sweeter pieces to enjoy while discarding the rest of the box. This is often seen as a frustrating yet fulfilling task, as each box of Lucky Charms traditionally contains far fewer marshmallows than pieces of oat cereal.

This frequent desire to enjoy just the marshmallows has even led to products that fulfill it, first with General Mills producing 10,000 boxes of marshmallow-only Lucky Charms in 2017. The company then further capitalized on the popularity of its marshmallows, producing full bags of the treat for customers to purchase in 2020, which are still on the market today. While this is a dream come true for many fans of the cereal, considering Liu's now-famous "60 Minutes" interview — in which she said, "I love struggling, actually. It makes me feel alive." — suggests she'll likely continue seeking out each individual Lucky Charms marshmallow the hard way.