The new HBO Max drama Heated Rivalry has quickly become a viral hit, telling the story of two rival hockey stars whose on-ice animosity hides a secret romance. The show’s success has launched its stars into the spotlight, from complete newcomers to familiar faces from your favorite TV shows. Here is a complete look at every actor in this breakout series and where you might have seen them before.
The Rival Stars: Hudson Williams And Connor Storrie
At the center of the story are the show’s two leads, actors who are getting their first major starring roles.
Hudson Williams plays Shane Hollander, the captain of the Montreal Metros known for his clean-cut, perfectionist image. Before landing this breakout role, the 24-year-old Canadian actor had smaller parts in a holiday TV movie, All I Need for Christmas, and an episode of the series Tracker. Williams has said he connected deeply with Shane’s character, particularly the nuances of his identity as a half-Asian athlete.
Playing his rival is Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov, the confident and charismatic captain of the Boston Raiders. The 25-year-old actor and model prepared for the role by studying Russian to perfect his accent for the character. Prior to Heated Rivalry, Storrie had small roles in projects like Joker: Folie à Deux and the LGBTQ+ coming-of-age film Riley. He also stars in the 2025 thriller series April X.
“The other guy was good, but Connor felt like he was going to pin me down and f*** me,” Hudson Williams told showrunner Jacob Tierney after their chemistry read, describing the instant connection with his co-star.
Veteran Actors And Familiar Faces
While the leads are newcomers, the series features several well-known actors in key supporting roles.
You will likely recognize François Arnaud, who plays veteran hockey star Scott Hunter. Arnaud is best known for his lead role as Cesare Borgia in Showtime’s period drama The Borgias. He has also appeared in popular series like Blindspot, Schitt’s Creek, and Yellowjackets.
Shane’s parents are played by two television veterans. Christina Chang plays his mother, Yuna Hollander. Chang is familiar to audiences for her long-running role as Dr. Audrey Lim on the hit medical drama The Good Doctor. Playing Shane’s father, David Hollander, is Dylan Walsh. Walsh is most famous for his lead role as Dr. Sean McNamara on the FX series Nip/Tuck and has also appeared in Blue Bloods and Superman & Lois.
Another familiar face is Sophie Nélisse as Rose Landry, an actress who dates Shane. Nélisse is widely known for her starring role as the teenage Shauna in the hit Showtime series Yellowjackets.
The Supporting Team And Friends
The world of Heated Rivalry is filled with teammates, friends, and family who round out the story.
Shane’s best friend and teammate is Hayden Pike, played by Callan Potter. Potter has previously acted in series like Workin’ Moms and Nickelodeon’s The Other Kingdom. Playing Hayden’s wife, Jackie Pike, is Kamilla Kowal.
Ilya’s close childhood friend is Svetlana Vetrova, played by Russian-Caribbean actor and model Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova. She has had roles in The Boys and the film Downsizing. Ilya’s family includes his brother Alexei, played by Slavic Rogozine (who also appears in The Boys), and his father Grigori, played by Yaroslav Poverlo.
Robbie G.K. plays Kip Grady, a smoothie shop barista who becomes romantically involved with Scott Hunter. His previous work includes roles in Utopia Falls and The Next Step. Scott’s teammate Carter Vaughn is played by Kolton Stewart, who has had sizable roles in Locke & Key and My Life with the Walter Boys.
A notable real-life athlete joins the cast with Harrison Browne playing Connors, Ilya’s teammate. Browne is recognized as the first openly transgender professional hockey player and has transitioned to acting and filmmaking.
Behind The Scenes: Creator Jacob Tierney
The series was created, written, and directed by Jacob Tierney. Tierney is a seasoned Canadian creator, best known for co-creating and starring in the popular sitcom Letterkenny and its spinoff Shoresy. He reportedly discovered the Game Changers book series and was determined to adapt it, wanting to preserve its explicit and authentic queer storytelling.
Series Release And Renewal News
Heated Rivalry is a six-episode season. The first two episodes premiered on November 28, 2025, on Crave in Canada and HBO Max in the United States and Australia. New episodes are released weekly each Friday. The release schedule for all episodes is:
- Episodes 1 & 2: Released November 28, 2025
- Episode 3 “Hunter”: Released December 5, 2025
- Episode 4 “Rose”: Released December 12, 2025
- Episode 5 “I’ll Believe in Anything”: Releases December 19, 2025
- Episode 6 “The Cottage”: Releases December 26, 2025
The show has been a major success. On December 12, 2025, it was officially announced that Heated Rivalry has been renewed for a second season. The announcement cited record-breaking viewership, making it Crave’s number one original series debut.
