Heated Rivalry is one of HBO Max's most popular sports TV shows for 2025. This Canadian drama is a blaze of romance between two professional hockey players whose competitiveness becomes a far more complex affair. The series features a mix of familiar faces from popular dramas, blockbusters, and critically praised streaming blockbusters. The story enhances this contemporary love story with their good performances. One IMDb user said,"Steamy S*xy, great storytelling, keeps you guessing. I'm suddenly interested in Hockey!"The s*xual tension between the main characters especially impresses the viewers, and the buzz is spreading on social media. This TV series is an exceptional winter show, with both talent and passion.Read more about the Heated Rivalry cast in other productions.Lead: Hudson Williams View this post on Instagram Instagram PostHudson Williams plays Shane Hollander as the lead character in Heated Rivalry. Williams had made guest appearances in several TV shows before this significant role. He was featured in the CBS crime drama Tracker (2024) and the espionage thriller Allegiance (2024). Williams also appeared in television movies like All I Need for Christmas (2024) and Nobody Dumps My Daughter (2024).In this series, the actor delivered a breakout performance, marking his first major lead. His chemistry with co-star Connor Storrie became a key factor in the success of Heated Rivalry on HBO Max.Connor Storrie View this post on Instagram Instagram PostConnor Storrie played Ilya Rozanov opposite Hudson Williams in Heated Rivalry. Storrie set out in 2024 to play Baxter in April X (2025). He had also played Liam Hauser in the indie film Riley (2023) before taking this big role. His most popular film appearance was in the 2024 DC film Joker: Folie a Deux (2024), where he played a juvenile inmate.Storrie prepared for his role in the TV series by learning Russian. This role is a significant professional milestone for the actor, who is only twenty-five years old. His ability to develop deep & emotionally complex characters is evident in his work on this TV series.François Arnaud View this post on Instagram Instagram PostFrançois Arnaud, a Canadian actor, features in Hunted Rivalry as Scott Hunter. He was also the star of the NBC supernatural drama Midnight (2021). Arnaud featured as a guest on the comedy series Schitt's Creek (2015), playing the photographer of David's ex-boyfriend. His biggest roles were in UnREAL(2015) and the two-season TV series The Moodys (2014). Arnaud and Williams shared their thoughts a day after Firstman spoke with Vulture. In the interview, Firstman compared Heated Rivalry with I Love LA and said the hockey drama did not show gay s*x in a real way."Yeah, we’re going for it. It’s gay."They added,“I’m sorry, I watched those first two episodes of ‘Heated Rivalry,’ and it’s just not gay. It’s not how gay people f–k. There are so few things that actually show gay sex.”Arnaud is a versatile actor who has been featured in several movies and TV programs in the course of his career. His acting in this TV series as Scott Hunter is another commendable addition to his long list of credits working in the entertainment sector on HBO Max.Follow Soap Central for more updates!