8 Things You Need To Know About The Two Leads Of "Heated Rivalry" That Have The Internet Absolutely Swooning

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For those who don't know...the hockey LGBTQ+ romance Crave Original, Heated Rivalry, is breaking the internet for more reasons than one. Even if you've only watched the trailer, you definitely can see why fans are raving. The chemistry between the two lead actors — Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams — is absolutely electric.

For someone like me who has zero interest in watching sports — live or fictional — it's wild how the two lead actors can pull you in so completely that you forget their entire love story even started on the ice. Cause yes, this is a love story that centers around hockey.

And some may not know this, but the series is actually based on a romance novel by Canadian author Rachel Reid. And as any book lover knows, book-to-screen adaptations can be a difficult feat — especially to satisfy fans. And are they satisfied?

Yes, they definitely are. And the author is too. In an interview with CP24, Reid was asked about her thoughts on the adaptation, and she said, "I'm absolutely ecstatic with it. It's amazing… I couldn't have dreamed a better adaptation. I think fan expectations are sky-high, and I think they're going to be exceeded. I don't even know if fans are ready for how good this is."

And fans definitely agree with Rachel! They're absolutely gushing over this book-to-screen masterpiece all over socials. Honestly, I get it — these two actors are dripping with so much charisma that I swear that they could have chemistry with a refrigerator. So let's talk about the heart throbs.

The two main characters in question are: Ilya Rozanov — played by Connor Storrie...

And Shane Hollander — played by Hudson Williams.

And since we can't get enough of these two, it's only fair we get to know them a little better. So, let's begin...

Some fans wondered if Connor Storrie was Russian, just like his character, Ilya. But no, Connor is a Texas-born American, raised in Odessa.

And Husdon Williams? He's a Kamloops-born Korean-Canadian. When asked about the role, he told The PR Press, "I am half-Korean, and then my dad is British-Dutch Canadian. I think it meant a lot to me and my mom. … My mom is Korean. She always thought it would be harder for me to break into film and acting because she hadn't really seen anyone."

And if this project doesn't skyrocket their career, I don't know what would. Cause bravo!

3. Speaking of projects, what others have they done?

Connor Storrie has previously appeared in small roles in Tiny Beautiful Things and Joker: Folie à Deux. Following his lead debut in Heated Rivalry, he's also set to star as the lead in the thriller series April X. So there is more Connor coming our way!

And our fellow Canadian, Hudson Williams, has appeared in small roles in projects like All I Need for Christmas, Nobody Dumps My Daughter, and the CBC series Tracker. But just like Connor, Heated Rivalry is his first leading role. But I bet there are more roles on the horizon.

4. What are their Zodiac signs?

Connor Storries is a Pisces, and Hudson Williams is an Aquarius. They haven't made many personal references to their signs, but it's early in their career.

5. And we have to know: Are they single?

Honestly, they haven't publicly shared details about their personal relationships or made any statements about their sexuality. In fact, when asked about intrusive questions regarding the actors' identities in an interview with Xtra, creator Jacob Tierney pushed back, explaining that there's no reason to pry into how the stars identify in real life. I totally agree with what Jacob said: "You can't ask questions like that when you're casting — it's actually against the law. What you have to gauge is somebody's enthusiasm and willingness to do the work."

He continued, "And that's what's so impressive about both of these guys is they came into this being like, 'Yeah, we're here to do this, and we are here to make this story feel authentic and to be as real as possible.' And they f***ing hit it out of the park." And boy, did they.

With that aside, fans have still been wondering whether the actors who play Shane and Ilya are romantically involved off-screen. Their friendship and chemistry are so evident that many viewers can't help but speculate about whether there might be something more between them. Not that it's anyone's business, but Connor and Hudson have continuously said they are just best friends. I love that for them.

6. The show is all about hockey... Do they actually play?

Connor Storrie actually trained as a gymnast growing up. And although he had to practise and learn a lot about hockey during filming, Connor is not a hockey player. He told The Lede, "I'm not Canadian, so I have no obligation to hockey. I love it now, though. I totally get the hype, and if I'm going to sit down and watch a sport, it's probably going to be hockey at this point."

Hudson Williams also wasn't trained in hockey before filming, either, telling The Lede, "I had different sports in my world when I was growing up. But I would say hockey is my favourite team sport now as well. It was fun to finally get to loop around back to the sport that was sort of an oversight for me, and get to learn about the culture, and appreciate it. I reached out to some hockey friends to kind of get influenced a little bit more, and learn the key terminology, so I could feel like I had some legitimacy when I actually showed up on set."

And although I, too, have never played hockey, I am sure the hockey-playing fans will be happy that the two of them took the training and hockey culture so seriously to make it feel authentic.

7. Do you have any fun facts about them?

Honestly, they've said so much during their press tour that there were too many great nuggets to choose from...but here are my faves:

While filming Heated Rivalry, the two main actors got matching tattoos that say, "sex sells." They said in an interview with The Permanent Rain Press, "We felt that [the tattoo] was the cherry on top of our friendship. It was what needed to be done." What an iconic tattoo.

Also, Connor's favourite movies as a kid were The Wizard of Oz and The SpongeBob Movie. And Hudson's were Tarzan, The Incredible, and The Parent Trap. So wholesome! 💜

And about their chemistry? My personal favourite quote about the two stars and their undeniable chemistry came from Connor Storrie on CTV: "We just are naturally freaks, and freaks find freaks." Well said.

8. And finally: What are their socials? Cause we definitely want to see more of them!

And if you need more info on where to find it — Heated Rivalry is on Crave in Canada and HBO Max in the U.S. and Australia. New episodes will be dropping every Friday. So make sure you tune in.

Are you watching Heated Rivalry? Tell me your favourite moments (so far) in the comments.

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