Hudson Williams is now famous worldwide for playing Shane Hollander in the hit show Heated Rivalry. But before he became a star, he had a small part in a popular network TV series. This look back at his guest spot on CBS’s Tracker shows the step he took right before his big breakthrough.
The actor played Brandon Stokes in the Tracker episode titled “The Disciple” which aired in 2025. The show stars Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw, a lone-wolf survivalist who travels the country to help solve crimes. Williams’s episode was part of the show’s first season.
Details of Hudson Williams’ Role in Tracker
In the episode, Williams’s character, Brandon Stokes, was involved in a complex serial killer case. The story focused on themes of childhood trauma. This type of serious, dramatic role was different from the romantic lead he would later play in Heated Rivalry, but it gave him valuable network television experience.
This guest spot was one of several small roles Williams took after graduating from the Film Arts program at Langara College in 2020. Around the same time, he also appeared in an episode of the series Allegiance and in TV movies like Nobody Dumps My Daughter and All I Need for Christmas. He supported himself by working as a waiter at The Old Spaghetti Factory in New Westminster, British Columbia, living paycheck to paycheck while auditioning.
“I was serving at The Old Spaghetti Factory… I loved it. That was how I paid my rent. It was paycheck to paycheck,” Williams recalled about his life before fame.
The Sudden Rise to Fame with Heated Rivalry
The shift from guest star to leading man was sudden. Heated Rivalry premiered in November 2025 on Crave and HBO Max and quickly became a major hit. The show, based on Rachel Reid’s romance novel, follows the secret relationship between two professional hockey players. Williams’s performance as the anxious, kind-hearted Shane Hollander earned him massive praise and international recognition.
Almost overnight, Williams and his co-star Connor Storrie went from having a few thousand social media followers to over a million each. The show broke records, becoming Crave’s most-watched original series ever and driving huge numbers of new viewers to HBO Max.
How His Early Career Shaped His Breakout Role
Williams’s path to Heated Rivalry was not just through TV guest roles. He was actively creating his own opportunities. He wrote, directed, and acted in numerous short films, including Rancid and Buttons in 2024. This hands-on filmmaking experience shaped his understanding of character and story.
When preparing for Shane Hollander, Williams drew on personal experience. He has said that his father is on the autism spectrum, and he used that understanding to inform his portrayal after author Rachel Reid confirmed Shane is autistic.
“My dad is on the spectrum, he knows it… I think when I read the script, I took a huge page out of living my life with him,” Williams explained.
Where to Watch Hudson Williams in Tracker and Heated Rivalry Now
For fans wanting to see his earlier work, the Tracker episode “The Disciple” is available for streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S. and on CTV.ca or Crave in Canada. The series is also available for purchase on platforms like Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.
Heated Rivalry, the series that made him a star, is streaming on HBO Max in the United States and on Crave in Canada. In the United Kingdom, the show arrived on Sky and Now TV on January 10, 2026. The show has been officially renewed for a second season.
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