Thanks to Heated Rivalry, viewers now have a standout new generation of performers to follow. Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie anchor the Crave and HBO Max drama, a bold adaptation of Rachel Reid’s Game Changers novels about rival hockey players who discover a deep connection off the ice. Since its late-2025 premiere and official renewal for Season 2, the series has steadily grown its audience and become one of the most talked-about streaming dramas this winter.
Get to know each of the main cast of Heated Rivalry below!
Hudson Williams — Shane Hollander
The breakout star, who plays Canadian hockey player Shane Hollander in the series, is a fresh face to the big leagues of Hollywood — but that doesn’t mean he’s brand new to the film industry. The 25-year-old actor has also written, directed and acted in short films.
According to his IMDb profile, Hudson co-wrote, co-directed and starred in the 2024 short Rancid. His on-screen work began in 2024 with short films and in various TV shows, appearing in the shorts Brim Reaper, Teresa’s Choice, Peace of Mind, Mrs. Changs Perfect Teeth, Chad GPT, The Dating Game and Snow Angel.
Hudson was born in 2001, according to multiple outlets.
Connor Storrie — Ilya Rozanov
Believe it or not, Connor isn’t actually Russian, despite how convincing his accent sounds in character as Ilya. He’s actually a Texas native. The 25-year-old actor, who is also a director and writer, per his IMDb profile, has appeared in a handful of film projects over the years, including Joker: Folie à Deux as a young inmate.
During a 2025 interview with Etalk, Connor explained why he was drawn to perfecting his dialect skills, specifically for a Russian accent.
“Honestly, I’ve always just thought Russian language and Russian culture was really cool,” Connor said. “It’s so different from American culture, so it feels really exotic and out there. … Getting to play anything that is as far away from me as possible, I feel like is really enlightening. It’s also just fun to put on that sort of posture. It lets you discover things about yourself and about the world. It’s easier to play that way too because I’m not so concerned about being Connor.”
François Arnaud — Scott Hunter
François is a Canadian actor best known for playing Cesare Borgia in The Borgias, Manfred Bernardo in Midnight, Texas, and Tommy Castelli in UnReal. The 40-year-old Montreal native has been acting in film since at least 2009.
Among his other notable film and TV credits are roles in Permission, Marlowe, Schitt’s Creek, The Moodys, Yellowjackets and Quantum Leap.
François has opened up about his personal life. He is bisexual and has been dating fellow actor Marc Bendavid since 2023.
As the public’s interest in the Heated Rivalry cast’s personal lives has soared, François noted that it’s “absurd” to assume that any actor should feel pressured to share information like that.
“It’s absurd to think that you should be allowed to ask about someone’s sexuality when they’re trying to get hired for a job,” the actor told Variety in late 2025. “It’s crazy, like we’re only going to hire you if you’re gay? And then it’s, like, how gay are you? It’s a spectrum.”
Robbie G.K. — Kip Grady
As the only non-hockey player love interest in the show so far, Robbie quickly made an impression among fans after episode 3 premiered. The 29-year-old Ontario native plays the sweet barista and soon-to-be grad student Kip, Scott’s boyfriend.
Robbie has appeared in various film and TV roles over the years, including Utopia Falls, Overcompensating, Marry F*** Kill, The Community Players, The Stanley Dynamic, Full Out, Antisocial and more.
What fans might not know from the get-go about Robbie is that he’s a musical theatre kid! Per his IMDb profile, the actor fell in love with performing when he was 13, playing Kurt Von Trapp in The Sound of Music.
Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova
Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova plays Svetlana, Ilya’s longtime Russian friend and occasional hookup buddy. She supports Ilya back home against his emotionally abusive family situation.
The actress and model is based in Toronto. She launched her film and TV career in 2016 and has appeared in a slew of other projects, including The Boys, Strays, Slip, Robyn Hood, Adults and A Very Jonas Christmas Movie.
Sophie Nélisse — Rose Landry
Fans should recognize Sophie Nélisse from Yellowjackets! She plays the teenage version of the seemingly reticent yet domineering Antler Queen in the hit series.
The Canadian actress has also starred in The Book Thief, which earned her multiple award nominations and accolades, including the 2013 Spotlight Award from the Hollywood Film Awards.
Sophie plays Rose Landry, one of Heated Rivalry‘s undeniable queens, who briefly dates Shane as he struggles to come to terms with his sexuality. After she figures it out, Rose vows to be a safe space for Shane as a friend.
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