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Manila Bulletin devider Entertainment devider Movies and TV devider 'Heated Rivalry': Meet the lead stars of this 'hot' gay hockey drama

'Heated Rivalry': Meet the lead stars of this 'hot' gay hockey drama

Published Dec 1, 2025 03:15 pm
Fans are buzzing about the new HBO drama "Heated Rivalry," which tells the story of two rival hockey players who embark on a journey of love, denial, and self-discovery.
Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov and Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander in 'Heated Rivalry' (HBO Max/Crave)
Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov and Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander in 'Heated Rivalry' (HBO Max/Crave)
U.S. media believe that this LGBTQ drama will be one of the most talked-about shows of the year. Fans are also expected to fall in love with the lead actors, Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, according to Just Jared.
Hudson, 25, previously appeared as a young inmate in "Joker: Folie à Deux" and in "Tiny Beautiful Things." Connor, 24, has been featured in an episode of "Tracker" on CBS and the Hallmark movie "All I Need for Christmas."
In a report by Deadline, Jacob Tierney, the creator of this romance, mentioned that Hudson and Connor connected "quite instantly" during the audition process.
A scene from 'Heated Rivalry' (Sabrina Lantos)
A scene from 'Heated Rivalry' (Sabrina Lantos)
“Hudson was the third actor that I read with,” said Connor, who plays Ilya Rozanov, a Russian-American player for the Boston Raiders. “The first two were okay, but then Hudson came on. Jacob actually texted me directly and asked, ‘What do you think?’ I replied, ‘Yeah, Hudson, for sure.’ It was instant chemistry.”

Hudson, who stars as Shane Hollander, a Montreal Metros pro from Ottawa, remarked, “I read with another potential Ilya, and it was good. But there was something about Connor—an inexplicable X-factor that felt more real than I thought it could be. At one point, I told Jacob that my reading with Connor was particularly striking.”
With new episodes available on Fridays on Crave in Canada and HBO Max in the U.S., "Heated Rivalry" follows two leading Major League Hockey players who share a secret. Away from their rivalry on the ice, they are secretly lovers who initially hide their complicated relationship from the world, according to Deadline.
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