Alberta native Tate McRae faced backlash this week following her appearance in an NBC commercial showcasing the 2026 U.S. Winter Olympics team. The 22-year-old musician, who found herself at the center of social media criticism for seemingly favoring the United States over her home country, took to Instagram to address the situation.
In the NBC ad, McRae is seen on a mountain in a red ski outfit, engaging with an owl near a signpost for Cortina, the Olympic co-host city. She mentions her excitement about attending the opening ceremony in Milan, meeting Team USA, and watching American athletes compete for gold, including Lindsey Vonn’s comeback and the Super Bowl LX.
Criticism emerged on various platforms, including comments on McRae’s Instagram post and remarks from Canadian actor Jack Innanen, who labeled her actions as unpatriotic. Pop culture commentator Liz Duff highlighted the heightened tension between Canada and the U.S., citing political conflicts and cultural distinctions as key factors driving the negative response to McRae’s involvement in the ad.
McRae, originally from Calgary, cultivated her early career image around Canadian themes, such as hockey and the Calgary Stampede. Despite now residing in Los Angeles, her strong ties to her Canadian roots had set certain expectations among her fan base, making her endorsement of Team USA a surprising and disappointing move for many.
Duff pointed out the generational aspect of the controversy, noting previous instances where Canadian celebrities faced scrutiny over their loyalty to the U.S. McRae and Innanen, both representing the younger demographic, underscore a shift in pop culture allegiance among Gen Z, with the latter’s public criticism marking a significant moment in Canadian entertainment discourse.
Requests for comment from CBC News to McRae’s label went unanswered at the time of reporting.