Heated Rivalry Star Reveals Pressure To Cut Kissing Scenes

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François Arnaud recently shared the surprising story of how Heated Rivalry almost didn’t happen as it did. The show, a hockey romance starring Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie as competing players who fall for each other, has become incredibly popular since its debut in late November, gaining a huge following on streaming platforms and social media.

Though the first season of Heated Rivalry features some passionate scenes, Arnaud revealed that many of them were nearly removed from the final cut.

In an interview on CBS Mornings, the actor playing Scott Hunter shared that before the Canadian streaming service Crave acquired the show, its creator, Jacob Tierney, had presented Heated Rivalry to a major streaming platform. Executives requested several changes, including delaying any kissing scenes until the fifth episode, but Tierney refused, stating that wasn’t his vision for the series.

Tierney didn’t approve of the initial plans, so Heated Rivalry ended up on Crave. This gave him the freedom to make the show he’d always wanted, even though it meant a tighter budget. Arnaud thinks that’s why fans are reacting so positively online.

It’s unknown which streamer requested the changes, but Arnaud believes the show, Heated Rivalry, likely wouldn’t have been possible to create in the United States, suggesting the requesting company is based there.

With the surprising success of Heated Rivalry, Arnaud hopes other entertainment executives will learn that they don’t need big stars or broad appeal to create a hit. He sees it as proof that smaller, more focused projects can still thrive.

HBO acquired the show Heated Rivalry just two weeks before it launched, choosing to release it simultaneously with the Canadian streaming service Crave. The creator, Jacob, actually believes this show wouldn’t have worked in the U.S. A major American streamer had previously passed on the project, offering so much feedback that Jacob scrapped it and moved production to Canada, where the budget was smaller. He felt he could finally create the show he envisioned, and that’s what seems to be resonating with viewers. It’s a lesson for Hollywood: this show is a surprising hit despite being highly specific, lacking big names, and even delaying any romantic scenes until later episodes – Jacob intentionally avoided typical tropes.

If a certain popular streamer had developed “Heated Rivalry” instead of Crave, the show likely would have been quite different. The series might not have become as successful if Tierney hadn’t had the creative freedom to show what he did.

As a huge fan, it’s clear everyone – both critics and viewers like me – is really happy with how the show turned out. Honestly, it feels like Tierney’s deal with Crave has been a total success for absolutely everyone involved, especially us fans!

The new novel, Heated Rivalry, is inspired by Rachel Reid’s Game Changers series. Reid recently revealed that the next book in the series, titled Unrivaled, will be available on September 29th.

I’ve been absolutely captivated by the TV series based on Heated Rivalry! Everyone is raving about it – critics gave it an incredible 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and audiences agree, giving it a fantastic 95%! It’s clear this adaptation is a huge success, and I can totally see why.

As Arnaud pointed out, HBO Max acquired the U.S. rights to Heated Rivalry very close to its release, making its current success all the more remarkable.

In addition to Williams, Storrie, and Arnaud, the film Heated Rivalry features Christina Chang, Dylan Walsh, Robbie G.K., and Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova.

Fans of Heated Rivalry can rejoice! Crave has confirmed the show will return for a second season. While we don’t have exact dates yet, filming is expected to begin sometime in the second half of 2026.

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2026-01-14 02:19