“There was an inexplicable X-factor”: Heated Rivalry stars reveal how they had an instant chemistry during the audition

Heated Rivalry has been blowing up everywhere, and the wildest part is that the magic everyone sees on screen actually started in the audition room. The actors themselves say their connection sparked almost instantly.

They even admit that the chemistry felt so intense that it was kind of shocking. As Hudson Williams told Out Magazine,

“But something about Connor…There was an inexplicable X-factor that just felt realer than what I thought it could possibly be.”

That basically answers why their bond hit so fast and so hard.

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How the Heated Rivalry audition room turned into its own mini love story

The cast of Heated Rivalry keeps saying their on-screen fire didn’t grow slowly. It hit the second they walked into their audition session. Connor Storrie, who plays Ilya Rozanov, told Out Magazine that he read with a few people before Hudson Williams showed up, but everything shifted the moment Hudson walked in.

He said,

“The first two I was like, ‘Okay, this is cool,’ and then Hudson came on.”

He said director Jacob Tierney even texted him right away asking for his thoughts. Connor’s reply was instant. He said,

“Yeah, Hudson, for sure.”

Hudson shared a similar memory when talking to Out Magazine. He said he read with someone else first, and it was fine, but when he met Connor, the whole vibe changed. In his words,

“Something about Connor…There was an inexplicable X-factor that just felt realer than what I thought it could possibly be.”

He said he even pulled Jacob aside later to explain exactly how powerful that read had felt.

Director Jacob Tierney backed it all up when he spoke to Out Magazine. He said Hudson actually told him the audition with Connor felt like -

“The other guy was good, but Connor felt like he was going to pin me down and f*ck me.”

Jacob laughed about it and said that was literally the moment he knew he had cast the right pair. According to him, the show would only work if Shane and Ilya felt like they belonged in the same world, and he said these two clicked “quite instantly.” That’s the exact spark that pushed the Heated Rivalry story forward from day one.

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Why did Heated Rivalry need this exact duo to pull off the whole enemies-to-lovers energy

Fans of Heated Rivalry already know the entire series depends on the relationship between Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov. Their rivalry, their tension, their secret romance, and even the constant push-and-pull all come straight from their dynamic.

That’s why the team behind the show treated the audition like a make-or-break moment. They weren’t just casting two leads. They were basically casting one connection.

Jacob Tierney told Out Magazine that Hudson and Connor “were essentially cast at the same time” because it was so clear that they needed to be found together. He explained that lots of actors were great on their own, but if they didn’t sync emotionally, they would feel like they were in “different shows.” That would ruin the entire vibe of Heated Rivalry.

The actors also understood that their chemistry had to hit instantly since the story jumps into a long and complicated romantic arc. The whole thing covers years of rivalry mixed with feelings they can’t shake, so the show needed two people who naturally felt drawn to each other, even when they were supposed to act annoyed.

Hudson and Connor’s reactions in the audition made that super obvious. They didn’t have to force the tension. It was already there. The way they talked about each other later proves they felt that electricity right away, even before the cameras rolled.

This early connection is also why the scenes feel so real when fans watch Heated Rivalry today. Some things just can’t be faked, and their audition moment basically became the blueprint for everything else that happens on screen.

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The Heated Rivalry cast always says the show works because the chemistry happened before the roles were even locked in. Their audition stories make it clear it wasn’t a slow build. It was immediate.

Hudson and Connor felt something spark, Jacob Tierney saw it, and the entire series grew from that moment. Heated Rivalry might be about rivals finding love, but behind the scenes, the bond started long before the script ever called for it.

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Stay tuned to Soap Central for more.

Also read: Already hooked to HBO Max’s Heated Rivalry? These 5 queer romances should definitely be on your watchlist next