While Jacob Tierney is now celebrated as the creator of the hit hockey romance Heated Rivalry, his journey to becoming a showrunner began decades ago around a campfire. Long before he wrote about secret romances between hockey stars, Tierney was a key part of a show that defined scary stories for an entire generation.
Tierney, a Canadian actor, director, and writer, started his career as a child star. One of his earliest and most memorable roles was as Eric, an original member of The Midnight Society on the iconic Nickelodeon series Are You Afraid of the Dark?. This role in a beloved children’s horror show laid a creative foundation that connects in surprising ways to his current work on one of television’s most popular new series.
Jacob Tierney’s Role in Are You Afraid of the Dark?
In the early 1990s, Jacob Tierney joined the cast of Are You Afraid of the Dark? for its first season. The show featured a group of kids who called themselves The Midnight Society, gathering in the woods to tell spooky stories.
Tierney played Eric, one of the original members of this group. As part of the core cast, his character was present to hear and vote on whether the weekly scary story was good enough for the society. During his time on the show, Eric contributed two tales of his own: The Tale of Jake and the Leprechaun and The Tale of the Dark Music.
The latter episode, The Tale of the Dark Music, is often mentioned by fans as one of the series’ best and most frightening installments. It featured deeply unsettling imagery and explored themes of bullying, leaving a lasting impression on its young audience. Tierney’s role, though not always the loudest in the group, established him as part of a cultural touchstone that taught a generation how to enjoy being scared in a safe way.
From Child Actor to Award-Winning Creator
Jacob Tierney’s career extends far beyond his early days on Nickelodeon. Born on September 26, 1979, in Montreal, he began acting at just six years old. His early work included a leading role in Dracula: The Series and the 1993 film Josh and S.A.M..
He successfully transitioned from child actor to an accomplished writer, director, and producer. Tierney is perhaps best known as the co-creator, writer, director, and executive producer of the massively popular Canadian sitcom Letterkenny, where he also plays the character Pastor Glen. For his work on Letterkenny, he has won multiple Canadian Screen Awards, including awards for Best Comedy Series, Best Direction, and Best Writing.
He also co-wrote and directed the acclaimed film The Trotsky in 2009, which won him a Genie Award for Best Original Screenplay. His creative partnership with Jared Keeso expanded to include the hit spin-off series Shoresy, where he serves as a director and executive producer.
The Launch of Heated Rivalry
In November 2025, Tierney’s latest project premiered to immediate success. Heated Rivalry is a sports romance series based on Rachel Reid’s Game Changers novel series. Tierney is the creator, writer, director, and an executive producer for the show.
The series follows two rival professional hockey players, Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, whose fierce competition on the ice hides a secret, years-long romantic relationship. Starring Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, the show quickly became a major hit.
“The steamy series about a secret, years-long enemies-to-lovers romance between two rival professional hockey players… has quickly become one of the most-watched series currently airing,” noted one entertainment report.
The show’s popularity was so strong that its second season was announced before the first season had even finished airing. It is available on Crave in Canada and on HBO Max in the United States.
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Connecting the Dots: From Scary Stories to Sports Romance
At first glance, a children’s horror show and an adult hockey romance seem worlds apart. However, a closer look reveals a common thread in Jacob Tierney’s storytelling.
Are You Afraid of the Dark? was effective because it understood emotion and trusted its young audience to handle stories about fear, loneliness, and growing up. Heated Rivalry, while dealing with adult themes of desire, secrecy, and identity, operates on a similar principle: it trusts viewers to engage with complex, character-driven emotions.
Both projects focus on creating tension and building worlds where the audience cares deeply about the characters’ journeys. The success of Heated Rivalry demonstrates Tierney’s decades-long understanding of how to connect with an audience, a skill that began with captivating young viewers around a TV campfire.
Tierney’s path from child actor to showrunner highlights a career built on patience and a steady development of craft. The massive success of Heated Rivalry sits upon years of experience in front of and behind the camera, learning what makes audiences react and invest in a story.
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