‘Celebrity Jeopardy!’ Fans React After Lisa Ann Walter Beats Mira Sorvino in Thriller

Shining Vale star Mira Sorvino was the favorite heading into Tuesday’s (January 2) Celebrity Jeopardy! semi-finals, but it was Abbott Elementary‘s Lisa Ann Walter who made an impressive comeback to take home the win.

The semi-finals saw Sorvino facing off against Walter and Ghosts star Utkarsh Ambudkar, and it initially looked like Sorvino’s game to lose. She’d previously won her first game against CSI: Miami actor Adam Rodriguez and NFL Network host Peter Schrager, which aired just a day after she was eliminated from Dancing With the Stars.

Jeopardy! producer Sarah Whitcomb Foss previously described this episode as “her favorite match of the season,” and it certainly lived up to the billing as all three contestants got out to a hot start, with all three within $300 at the first break.

Walter had a slight lead after the Jeopardy! round after finding the first Daily Double, going into Double Jeopardy with $3,200, while Sorvino had $2,800, and Ambudkar had $1,500.

However, Sorvino picked up her game in Double Jeopardy, while Walter started to struggle with four incorrect responses. By the time the round was over, the Oscar winner had comfortably taken the lead, with $11,200 compared to Ambudkar’s $4,500 and Walter’s $4,400.

But Walter battled back in Triple Jeopardy, making for one of the fiercest showdowns yet. Even host Ken Jennings seemed impressed, telling Walters, “You’re making a run at Mira’s lead.”

The two actresses went back and forth, but an incorrect response from Sorvino gave Walter a slight edge heading into Final Jeopardy with $17,000 compared to Sorvino’s $16,100.

It all came down to Final Jeopardy! and the clue under the “Award-Winning Actresses” category read: “Her 2019 Oscar win and 2021 Emmy win were both for portraying a British queen.”

Sorvino fumbled at the last hurdle, incorrectly guessing “Helen Mirren” and losing all her earnings. Meanwhile, Walter nailed the correct answer, “Olivia Colman,” wagering a massive $15,201 and securing the victory with $32,201.

Viewers took to social media to praise the game and Walter’s impressive win. You can check out some of the reaction below.

Lisa Ann Walter!!!! She’s so great!!! #jeopardy

— lianne kulik (@lianne_kulik) January 3, 2024

Lisa Ann Walter is going to the #CelebrityJeopardy Finals! #abbottelementary pic.twitter.com/RAZKFcWGzR

— Joel Garcia (@MrJoelGarcia9) January 3, 2024

Lisa Ann Walter dominating Jeopardy. Hot.

— Natalie Bryan (@zwizh) January 3, 2024

LISA ANN WALTER DID IT AGAIN!! GOING TO THE FINALS BABY

— Amanda || 1/18/24 (SVU) & 2/7/24 (Abbott) (@iheartchriska) January 3, 2024

Congrats to Lisa Ann Walter!#CelebrityJeopardy #Jeopardy

— Matt Carberry (@mfc248) January 3, 2024

This will be a great game! I love each of these contestants in this semifinal! #CelebrityJeopardy

— Ryan Bartholomee (@RyanBartholomee) January 3, 2024

Mira doesn’t deserve to win with her conservative game play. #CelebrityJeopardy

— Unique Monique (@mmillipied) January 3, 2024

Congratulations to @LisaAnnWalter to advancing to the #CelebrityJeopardy finals !!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/HF0KQfd0N3

— Henry Nguyen (@henry_957) January 3, 2024

Celebrity Jeopardy!, Tuesdays, 8/7c, ABC