Heated Rivalry star says closeted pro athletes are secretly reaching out

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Hudson Williams, known for his role in the hit show Heated Rivalry, has shared how the series has affected people’s lives. He says several professional athletes – including those in hockey, football, and basketball who aren’t openly gay – have contacted him after the show became popular worldwide.

The popular new TV show has been renewed for a second season! It’s based on Rachel Reid’s novel and follows the love story between Shane Hollander (played by Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie), who are rivals on competing professional ice hockey teams.

The new show, Heated Rivalry, has been a hit with both viewers and critics, and it’s opened up important discussions about the lack of LGBTQ+ representation in professional sports – a topic the show directly addresses.

Even though it’s a work of fiction, the series has had a real impact, sparking conversations and personal insights among people in the world of professional sports – a reaction that has even surprised the show’s creators.

Hudson Williams reveals real impact of Heated Rivalry 

During an appearance on SiriusXM’s Andy Cohen Live on Thursday, January 8th, Williams shared that his team, Heated Rivalry, often hears from professional athletes who are still closeted.

He explained that he often receives messages from professional athletes – particularly in hockey, football, and basketball – who privately share they haven’t publicly come out about their sexuality. They usually reach out anonymously to connect with him.

So, the team is sending all these amazing fan emails to Rachel, our author, and she’s going to pass them along to me! It’s so cool that they’re doing this – I can’t wait to read what everyone is saying!

It’s amazing when people reach out, often through Instagram DMs. Those messages really get to me, you know? It makes me realize that while the show is fun and a celebration, it clearly connects with people on a really deep, emotional level. It’s powerful to think it can hit a nerve like that.

During the interview, Williams also responded to criticism that the novel, Heated Rivalry, contains explicit sexual content. Cohen pointed out that the book likely wouldn’t be described this way if the characters were a heterosexual couple.

Williams confirmed that the showrunner, Jacob Tierney, was upfront with the cast about his feelings and concerns from the very beginning.

If this was just typical sexual content, people wouldn’t be making a fuss – it’s not explicit. We don’t show anything overtly sexual; there’s no nudity of breasts or penises. It mainly focuses on the characters’ posteriors.

“If they were straight intimate scenes, it wouldn’t be talked about in that way.”

Viewers are really enjoying this interview, like many others with the cast of Heated Rivalry. It’s also getting people talking about the important issues the show brings up.

Someone on Reddit commented that the article was excellent and the show’s popularity makes perfect sense. They praised creator Jacob Tierney’s ability to connect with viewers and make his shows feel authentic and relatable.

Someone else commented that it’s unfortunate LGBT athletes often feel pressured to hide their sexual orientation, but they understand why it still happens.

The Seattle Kraken recently shared photos of players wearing Pride jerseys to promote their annual Pride Night, and the reaction online included a shocking amount of hateful and bigoted comments. People expressed homophobia, transphobia, and general prejudice in response to the photos.

It might be a long shot, but I’m hoping this Canadian hockey tournament can make a positive difference for everyone involved.

You can now watch Season 1 of Heated Rivalry on HBO Max in the United States. For more recommendations, see our list of new TV shows coming in 2026, the most addictive series to binge-watch, and our picks for the best shows of 2025.

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2026-01-09 13:52