Heated Rivalry has finally arrived in the UK after months of watching the excitement from the other side of the world, noses pressed against the glass, and our vision clouded by bated breath.
Now TV is currently streaming the popular Canadian ice hockey series. After receiving an unexpectedly warm (nay, hot, nay, scorching) reception on the Canadian streaming service Crave, it was picked up by HBO in America.
Hudson Williams, who plays Shane Hollander, and Connor Storrie, who plays Ilya Rozanov, did not anticipate the success of Heated Rivalry. Williams has publicly expressed his belief that he was duped by his TikTok algorithm into believing the show was popular.
It wasn’t a trick. By the week of December 26, when the season’s last episode debuted, Heated Rivalry had amassed 324 million minutes of viewing time on HBO Max. It is now impossible to deny the obsession with its main actors. Security at NBCUniversal has increased its security presence around 30 Rockefeller Plaza for Storrie’s appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers this Monday after a large crowd of excited fans waited outside the building for Williams during his appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
What precisely do we know about Heated Rivalry’s leading men, and why are they suddenly so adored?
What is Heated Rivalry, and why has it exploded?
The plot of Heated Rivalry centers on two rival ice hockey players, Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, as they manage to play the sport they love while also harboring romantic feelings for one another. Because elite sports are heteronormative and homophobic, both players are closeted, which makes managing their romance challenging.
The Game Changers book series by Rachel Reid served as the inspiration for Jacob Tierney’s creation and direction of the series.
There is a lot of shagging in addition to the yearning. There was a ton of shagging. In the vein of Bridgerton, Game of Thrones, and Normal People, this type of shagging has the power to propel a television program to stardom.
Fans, critics, and even HBO CEO Casey Bloys have all praised Heated Rivalry’s sex scenes.
Bloys told GQ, “I’ve put a lot of sex scenes on the air, including gay sex scenes.” However, Jacob’s direction of them really impressed me. They were obviously well done and hot. However, it also honors the original material and his writing. Any sexual encounter is likely to feel like your last if you can picture a high-pressure setting like professional sports, where coming out is even more difficult.
Who is Hudson Williams?
Hudson Williams, a 24-year-old Canadian actor, portrays Shane Hollander. Williams was born in Kamloops, a Canadian city in British Columbia that is well-known for its ski runs and hiking trails. With 100 sporting competitions annually, it is also referred to as Canada’s tournament capital, making it an appropriate venue for the star of the country’s newest sports program.
Williams’s father is a mechanical engineer, and his mother works as an interior designer. His father is British-Dutch, and his mother is Korean. Williams was an athletic teen growing up who practiced mixed martial arts, played basketball, and dabbled in acting (the Troy Bolton guide to life). He supported himself by writing and directing short films while working at a restaurant after graduating from college in 2020.
Williams then got the part of Shane Hollander in Heated Rivalry in 2025. He has talked about how close he is to his role in Heated Rivalry interviews, stating that he “fell in love with Shane immediately” during auditions.
Williams has also been open about the series’ unexpected impact and the overwhelming response to it. “It’s definitely the people who reach out somewhat anonymously who are like, ‘I’m a professional player and I’m still in the closet,'” he said on Andy Cohen Live in reference to the messages he’s received from viewers.
Hudson Williams’ ascent is just getting started, as evidenced by his December 2025 signing with CAA (Creative Artists Agency), one of Hollywood’s largest agencies.
Who is Connor Storrie?
Connor Storrie, a 25-year-old American actor, portrays Hollander’s Russian hockey rival turned romantic interest, Ilya Rozanov. Storrie is from Odessa, Texas, and his family worked in the mortgage business in addition to being bodybuilders on the side. Anyone who has watched more than twenty minutes of the show may be able to understand Storrie’s physique. In his younger years, Storrie developed a passion for acting while also being a dedicated gymnast and professional tumbler.
YouTube videos of a young Storrie, uploaded under the username “Actorboy222,” have been discovered by Heated Rivalry fans. In one video, a teenage Storrie states, “I thought it was good practice to have a little YouTube channel because I want to be an actor when I grow up.”
Storrie was able to attend more casting calls for commercials and industrial films by the time he was eighteen because his family had moved to California. After receiving approval from his “nontraditional” family, he left high school and worked as a waiter while he awaited his big break.
He was chosen in 2022 to play a patient at Arkham Asylum who is suggested to be the “real” Joker in the 2024 film Joker: Folie à Deux. Storrie anticipated that 2024 would be his big break after keeping the role a secret for more than two years. It was not. With the exception of a brief article in Variety, Folie à Deux received negative reviews from critics, and Storrie remained mostly unknown.
Heated rivalry followed. Storrie continued to wait tables at this point, despite his own admission that he wasn’t very skilled at it. The young actor told Today, “I actually almost got fired from my restaurant the day that I found out that I had booked Heated Rivalry.” He explained that he “messed up a table so bad” that he “got a horrible review.”
Many people have praised Storrie’s portrayal of Ilya Rozanov, with both fans and co-stars highlighting his flawless Russian accent and physique. In one interview, Storrie joked, “I think I heard someone say that I am ‘America’s ass.’ but, yeah, I love it.” I’ll accept it.
A lifelong dream for the young actor, Storrie described his plans to use his newfound wealth and fame to make a short film in an interview at the Golden Globes this week.
Don’t worry, though; Heated Rivalry has already been renewed for a second season, and Storrie and Hudson will both be returning for more episodes.
