The chemistry between Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie that made Heated Rivalry a global hit has found a new, more intimate sound. The actors reunited to voice a fantasy romance audio series for the Quinn app, and the project was so popular that its release briefly crashed the platform. Fans of the hockey romance series now have a new story to follow: Ember & Ice, an audio series where the pair play rival fae princes locked in a forbidden affair.
The news comes as both actors are experiencing a meteoric rise in fame following the success of Heated Rivalry, which debuted on HBO Max in November 2025. The show’s first season concluded on December 26, and its stars are quickly becoming some of the most sought-after talents in entertainment. Williams is set to make his late-night television debut on January 7 on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
From Hockey Rivals to Fae Princes: The Plot of Ember & Ice
Ember & Ice is a three-episode audio series exclusive to the Quinn app. It marks a significant format change for Quinn, known for its first-person, listener-focused stories. This series is the platform’s first “duet” original, where the story and intimate scenes unfold entirely between the two lead characters, with the listener as an observer.
Williams and Storrie voice Prince Finn and Prince Dane, two fae rulers from the rival kingdoms of Lunare and Solari. The official description sets the scene: “Set in a richly imagined fantasy world shaped by history, duty, and forbidden desire, Ember & Ice follows Dante and Finn… The series draws listeners deep into the world of the story as it unfolds, positioning them as an intimate observer to every moment of tension, longing, and intimacy between Dane and Finn. At its core, Ember & Ice is a story about choosing love in defiance of expectation”.
The story of rival royals carrying on a secret, years-long romance feels familiar to fans of Shane and Ilya from Heated Rivalry, but transports that dynamic into a lush fantasy setting.
Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie on Recording “Next Level” Audio Erotica
In an exclusive interview, both actors shared their experiences recording for the audio erotica platform, a first for both of them. Williams was notably candid about the recording process.
“I was very steamy in that booth,” Hudson Williams told Cosmopolitan. He elaborated on the unique challenge of the medium, saying, “I think there is something very interesting about exploring sensuality and erotica just with your voice. It’s like you’re private, you’re alone there with a mic and an audio engineer and you just get to kind of be in your own world and figure out what that means to you and you don’t have your body to express yourself. So that element is really fun, really fun”.
His co-star, Connor Storrie, agreed, stating simply, “Before working with Quinn, I had never been in the audio space. I had a lot of fun, to be completely honest”.
Caroline Spiegel, the founder and CEO of Quinn, praised the actors’ partnership and its impact. “Connor and Hudson have sparked something special and brought a lot of joy to audiences by embracing queer love and sex positivity,” Spiegel said. “We feel very lucky to be working with them at Quinn, and we are excited for everyone to listen”. She also emphasized that the “sound design is wild, and the spice is truly next level!” for this series.
A Swift Cultural Move: How Quinn Captured the Moment
The collaboration between Quinn and the Heated Rivalry stars is a textbook example of a brand moving at the speed of internet culture. According to an interview with the Quinn team, the idea was first developed in mid-November 2025, before Heated Rivalry had even premiered. The team, noting intense early online excitement for the show, reached out to Williams and Storrie’s teams immediately.
The entire project was executed on a remarkably fast timeline. The story for Ember & Ice was written by author Colleen Scriven between late November and early December. The audio was recorded in mid-December, and the promotional photoshoot happened on December 16. The first episodes were released just two weeks later on December 30.
“We’re fortunate to have a very engaged community… and there was a great deal of excitement around the series ahead of its release. After seeing that enthusiasm, it felt like a natural opportunity,” the Quinn team explained regarding their quick action. They credited their small, 11-person company and a collaborative culture for allowing them to “move quickly and take big swings”.
The strategy worked. Social media teasers for the series were met with comments like “SHAKING” and “Whoever secured this deal deserves a raise”. The team confirmed that engagement around this announcement far exceeded their usual levels.
Fan Demand Crashes the App and Fuels Online Frenzy
The anticipation built by the swift social media campaign led to an explosive release. When the first two episodes of Ember & Ice went live on December 30, the surge of listeners was so immense that it caused the Quinn app to temporarily crash.
The event became a real-time fan experience on social media, with listeners sharing reactions to every sound and line of dialogue. The format change—allowing fans to listen as observers to a story between two beloved actors—proved incredibly powerful. It highlighted what one report called “the power of fandom continuity,” showing how the connection audiences feel to Williams and Storrie can transfer directly to a new project.
On social media, fans expressed their exhilaration. “I would listen to Hudson and Connor read the phone book, so count me in!” wrote one follower on Cosmopolitan’s announcement post. Another listener commented on the exclusive preview, “the entire time I listened to that my brain was an absolute black hole”.
The Meteoric Rise of the Heated Rivalry Stars
The frenzy around Ember & Ice is a direct result of the stunning rise of Williams and Storrie. Since Heated Rivalry premiered in late November 2025, both actors have gained roughly one million new social media followers each in a single month. Content from their joint GQ Hype cover garnered over 8 million likes.
The show itself has been a major success for HBO Max. Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content, admitted the show’s broad appeal surprised him. “I thought it would be kind of a very specific, maybe gay-only show, but it really is a broader audience than that,” Bloys said. He called the acquisition “an incredible investment” and praised the intensity of the love scenes for amplifying the storytelling.
Williams’s career is moving at a rapid pace. In December 2025, he signed with the powerful Creative Artists Agency (CAA) for representation. His upcoming late-night appearance on The Tonight Show on January 7 will be his first. In a recent interview, Williams opened up about his close off-screen bond with Storrie, mentioning that they often share “big spooning hugs” as a sign of support and pride in each other’s work.
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Release Details and How to Listen
Ember & Ice is a three-episode series available only on the Quinn app. The first two episodes, “Finn” and “Dante,” were released on December 30, 2025 at 12 a.m. PT / 3 a.m. ET. The third and final episode was released on January 6, 2026. For audiences in the United Kingdom and Ireland, Heated Rivalry itself premieres on Sky on January 10, 2026.
Quinn has established itself as a leading destination for audio erotica and has previously partnered with other notable actors like Andrew Scott, Christopher Briney, and Victoria Pedretti for its original content. The platform’s quick collaboration with Williams and Storrie demonstrates a sharp focus on tapping into current cultural moments and fan passions.
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