Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie: The On-Screen Rivals and Off-Screen Besties Redefining Queer TV Stardom

Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie are breakout stars of "Heated Rivalry", a queer romance series adapted from Rachel Reid's novel that follows the enemies-to-lovers story of hockey players Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov. Williams, a 24-year-old Canadian actor, plays Ilya, while American actor Storrie portrays Shane; their performances have drawn widespread acclaim for authentic queer representation in sports drama.

The series premiered its first season to strong viewership, blending intense rivalry with passionate romance, and was renewed for a second season based on Reid's sequel "The Long Game" shortly after. Showrunner Jacob Tierney has promised a faster production timeline compared to other series. Off-screen, Williams and Storrie formed a deep friendship during filming in Toronto, where they lived in neighboring apartments, cooked together, worked out, and shared excitement over their breakthrough roles. Storrie described the routine: “We would literally just go to set, go home, cook, work out together, and geek out over how excited we were to finally be working on this level.”

Their bond, marked by physical affection and playful nicknames like "Huddy," "Papi," "Bubba," and "Pookie," has captivated fans, who often "ship" them romantically despite the actors' insistence on platonic ties. Storrie addressed the speculation directly: “Things are strictly platonic.” They even got matching "SEX SELLS" tattoos at the wrap party and exchanged what Williams called “big spooning hugs” to celebrate their work. Williams credited the role with helping him grow more comfortable expressing himself physically, noting their shared approach as “very physical actors.”

In press tours, they leaned into their chemistry with humor, joking about physiques—Williams recalled being intimidated by Storrie’s arms, “the size of my legs,” while Storrie praised Williams’ “crazy legs”—and playful comments like “Spit in my mouth.” Tierney praised their handling of fame: “They’re living through a thing right now that is bananas—absolutely fucking bananas—and they’re handling it with grace, with humor, with generosity. They adore each other.” Storrie echoed this, calling Williams “my best friend, and I literally can’t fathom doing this without him.”

As their profiles rise, Williams and Storrie are intentionally distancing public appearances to establish individuality. Williams explained in a "Wonderland" interview conducted by co-star Sophie Nélisse: “Connor and I are aligned. We want to be different artists, we don’t want to be the Olsen twins. We want to be Connor and Hudson, with different filmographies and different deals.” They coordinate schedules, avoiding overlapping fashion events like Saint Laurent’s show, where Storrie attended solo. Williams added: “We’re stubborn, selfish artists who want to be our own people. We’re like, ‘I love you. I don’t want to do everything with you.’” Tierney framed it as: “Shane and Ilya are for the public. Connor and Hudson are for themselves.”

Prior to "Heated Rivalry", details on their earlier careers remain limited in available coverage, though Williams recently walked the DSQUARED2 runway. No major controversies surround them, though Williams noted encountering “disrespectful people” amid fame. Their story resonates in LGBTQ+ media for normalizing close male friendships alongside queer characters, challenging stereotypes while fans celebrate the representation in "Heated Rivalry". As they balance friendship and independence, Williams and Storrie exemplify navigating queer-centric fame with authenticity.