Complete cast breakdown of Heated Rivalry season 1: Who plays Who & where you’ve seen them before

Hockey's brutal world of rivalries and glory gets a queer twist in Heated Rivalry, the six-episode HBO Max series that dropped its first two instalments on November 28, 2025. 

Adapted from Rachel Reid's Game Changers novels, specifically Book Two, this show delves into the forbidden attraction between two NHL stars, blending high-stakes sports action with raw emotional drama. 

Director Jacob Tierney, known for Shoresy and Letterkenny, helms the project, bringing authenticity to its exploration of closeted lives in a macho league. The plot spans 2008 to 2017, kicking off when straight-laced Montreal Meteors captain Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) clashes with flashy Boston Raiders captain Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) during a championship game.

What starts as hatred ignites off-rink hookups, forcing both men to juggle secret desires against endorsement deals, media scrutiny and internalised fears. Shane battles perfectionism, while Ilya, shaped by Russia's anti-LBGTQ+ climate, hides his bisexuality behind bravado. 

The series tackles themes like toxic masculinity and love under pressure, with explicit scenes that don't shy from the heat. Reid's books, which have been hits since 2018, have built a devoted fan base for their smart take on sports romance. 

As episode three premieres on December 5, focusing on the side couple Scott Hunter and Kip Grady from the first book, the show solidifies its spot in HBO's lineup of bold LGBTQ+ stories.

Heated Rivalry season 1: Complete cast breakdown

• Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander: Seen in Tracker (as Brandon), Allegiance (as Junior), Nobody Dumps My Daughter (as Sean) and Devil Makes Three (as Jason).
• Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov: Seen in Joker: Folie à Deux (as a young inmate), April X (as Baxter), Tiny Beautiful Things (one episode), Riley (as Liam Hauser) and Headless Horseman (as Tom).
• François Arnaud as Scott Hunter: Seen in The Borgias (as Cesare Borgia), Blindspot (as Oscar), I Killed My Mother (as Anonin Rimbaud) and Jean of the Joneses ( as Jeremiah Rosen).
• Vitali Makarov as Russian Minister: Seen in Pawn Sacrifice (as Ivanovich), The Day After Tomorrow (as Yuri), Rollerball ( as Komo) and Helix (as Dr Dimitri Marin).
• Robbie G.K. as Kip Grady: Seen in Overcompensating (as Riley, recurring), Utopia Falls (as Tempo 3), The Next Step (as Charlie) and Marry F** Kill* (as Simon Carpenter).
• Kolton Stewart as Carter Vaughn: Seen in Locke & Key (sizable role), Some Assembly Required (voice role), My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 and Disenchanted.
• Callan Potter as Hayden Pike: Seen in Workin' Moms, Zombie Town, The Other Kingdom (Nickelodeon), Riot Girls and Murdoch Mysteries.

Supporting roles include-

• Christina Chang as Yuna Hollander: Seen in The Good Doctor (as Dr Audrey Lim), Live Free or Die Hard (as Taylor) and Press Play (as Mrs. Knott).
• Dylan Walsh as David Hollander: Seen in Nip/Tuck (as Dr Sean McNamara), Superman & Lois (as General Sam Lane), Blue Bloods (as Mayor Peter Chase) and The Lake House (as Morgan).
• Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova as Svetlana Vetrova: Seen in Robyn Hood, Downsizing and The Boarding School Murders.
• Sophie Nélisse as Rose Landry: Seen in Yellowjackets.
• Slavic Rogozine as Alexei Rozanov: Seen in The Boys (a couple of episodes).
• Yaroslav Poverlo as Grigori Rozanov: No prior acting roles listed.
• Franco Lo Presti as Cliff Marleau: Seen in Chucky and Crossroad Springs.
• Harrison Browne as Connors: No prior acting roles.

• Benjamin Roy as JJ Dagenais: Seen in Clouds, STAT and Dinherio.
• Aidan Shaw as Kolya: Seen in Youngblood (as Michael Deangelo) and Locke & Key (as young Jeff Ellis).
• Kaden Connors as Sasha: Seen in The Wrong Paris, Foragers, Wild Cards and His & Hers.

Stream Heated Rivalry Season 1 on HBO Max in the U.S., with new episodes dropping weekly on Friday through December 26. Canadian viewers can catch it on Crave.

Stay tuned for more such updates!