Two rival hockey gamers strike up a romance off the ice within the fiery new Canadian LGBTQ romance sequence Heated Rivalry primarily based on Rachel Reid’s novels. Starring Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander and Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov, the brand new Crave and HBO Max present shortly turned the web’s obsession after the primary two episodes of season 1 premiered in November 2025.
Whereas the present’s success could have appeared sudden to viewers, Hudson informed The Hollywood Reporter that the breakout second felt “pure,” explaining that he believed within the undertaking from the very starting. As fan enthusiasm exploded on-line, each Hudson and Connor noticed their profiles rise nearly in a single day, with audiences falling arduous for his or her on-screen chemistry and emotionally charged performances.
Under, Hollywood Life has gathered all of the information we all know up to now about Hudson amid his rise to fame. Get to know him and study extra about his profession right here!
Hudson Is of Korean & British-Dutch-Canadian Descent
Throughout a November 2025 interview with The PR Press, Hudson opened up about enjoying Shane in Heated Rivalry and the illustration of his Asian Canadian heritage.
“I’m half-Korean, after which my dad is British-Dutch Canadian,” Hudson mentioned. “I believe it meant rather a lot to me and my mother. .. My mother is Korean. She at all times thought it might be tougher for me to interrupt into movie and appearing as a result of she hadn’t actually seen anybody.”
Hudson Is Not Solely an Actor — He’s Additionally a Director & Author
In response to his IMDb profile, Hudson has written, directed and acted briefly movies. He co-wrote, co-directed and starred within the 2024 brief Rancid.
Hudson Is 24 Years Outdated
Hudson was born in 2001, in response to a number of retailers. This might make him 24 years outdated at the moment.
Hudson Has Been Movie Performing Since at Least 2024
As seen on his IMDb profile, Hudson’s on-screen work started in 2024 with brief movies and in varied TV reveals. He starred within the shorts Brim Reaper, Teresa’s Alternative, Peace of Thoughts, Mrs. Changs Good Enamel, Chad GPT, The Courting Recreation and Snow Angel.
On TV, Hudson appeared in a single episode of Tracker and Allegiance, and he starred within the TV film All I Want for Christmas and the movie No one Dumps My Daughter.
Heated Rivalry Is Hudson’s First Essential TV Function
Though Hudson had constructed an in depth movie résumé, Heated Rivalry marked his first main tv position — and it has shortly change into a breakout second in his profession. Hudson informed The Hollywood Reporter that whereas he “at all times believed in” the undertaking, he by no means anticipated the speedy rise in consideration that got here with the present’s viral success, including, “There’s no method to put together for what this facet of issues appears to be like like.”
