Did you catch this former ice hockey player's cameo in Heated Rivalry? All about Harrison Browne's appearance, revealed

As HBO Max's sensational queer hockey series Heated Rivalry continues to top the streamer's platform and gain traction in pop culture, fans are discovering exciting behind-the-scenes facts about the show.

For the uninitiated, the six-episode series is a Crave original and based on Rachel Reid's Game Changers book series, which follows a years-long secret fling between two arch-rivals and star hockey players, Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie).

Eagle-eyed fans were quick to notice that Heated Rivalry Episode 4 features a cameo by Harrison Browne, a real-life former professional hockey player, who came out as a transgender man in 2016. According to a report by The New York Times, Browne became the "first openly transgender athlete in professional team sports in North America." After Harrison Browne retired from the NWHL in 2018, he switched to acting.

Heated Rivalry marks a pivotal role in his acting career as the former player finally got to appear in a hockey-based show.

All about former hockey player Harrison Browne's cameo in Heated Rivalry

Heated Rivalry Episode 4 marked Harrison Browne's cameo as Connors, another pro hockey player and Ilya's teammate from the Boston Riaders. Connors is the one who shows Shane and Rose's tabloid pictures to Ilya in the hotel gym. As Cliff and Connors take a dig at the Metro Montreal Captain's dating pictures online, Ilya is visibly shocked and leaves in anger. The real-life hockey player again appears in the iconic club scene from Episode 4, when Ilya and his teammates go for a fun night out in a Montreal club, unaware that Shane and his girlfriend are also present there.

While Browne had brief appearances in Heated Rivalry, the actor was grateful to be cast in a hockey-themed TV show. After retiring from professional hockey in 2018, Browne switched to acting but struggled to secure parts. However, last year proved pivotal for the former hockey player after his directorial short film, Pink Light, premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. Browne also wrote the script and starred in the short film, which follows the journey of a trans man and former pro hockey player who time-travels to his past to reconnect with his younger self. The film explores the themes of identity & acceptance and is a heartwarming personal story (for Browne) about trans representation.

Following Browne's debut in Heated Rivalry, more people are recognizing his acting talents. In an interview with Out Magazine, Browne praised Jacob Tierney for recognizing his talent:

''I auditioned for a character, and I didn't land that character. But Jacob Tierney reached out to my agents and said, "I want to offer him this other character." I was just like, "Absolutely, that sounds amazing.''

He continued:

''To be included in that, and to just hear, hands-down, like, "We got you because you're a good actor and you're an amazing hockey player. Not because you're trans." That was a really affirming experience for me.''

Heated Rivalry is changing the discourse about men in sports

As Heated Rivalry continues to change the discourse about men in sports, Browne revealed he did not 'feel like his part' because of his short stature.

Talking about sports stereotypes, Browne said:

''I've felt a lot of imposter syndrome, going out for these roles, and the breakdowns are like 6'3", really large, big stature. I'm not that...I'm 5'4". I am not a large person. I'm muscular, I'm fit, and I know how to play hockey, but I don't necessarily read as a hockey player to somebody watching a TV show.''

Heated Rivalry features a pivotal scene in Episode 5, when Scott Hunter publicly kisses his boyfriend Kip on national television and comes out as the first gay MLH player in front of his fans (and the world). This moment, which became pivotal for Shane and Ilya in the story, also gave hope to real-life closeted gay players.

In a recent episode of SiriusXM’s “Andy Cohen Live,'' which welcomed Hudson Williams as a guest, the star opened up about the overwhelming response from closeted hockey players. The actor revealed:

''Yeah, it’s definitely the people who reach out, somewhat anonymously, who are like, “I’m still a professional player and I’m still in the closet.” Sometimes they’re just reaching out privately, through like Instagram, and those ones are the ones that really just kind of hit you and go, “Oh, so this is a fun show and it’s celebratory, but also sometimes it’s just hitting people right in the nerves.”

The actor’s remarks suggest that Heated Rivalry has gone beyond being just a popular series, sparking a meaningful shift in how closeted gay men are represented and talked about. By portraying queerness with honesty, vulnerability and optimism, the show has helped challenge long-standing stereotypes while offering a sense of visibility and validation.

Heated Rivalry, which is already renewed for a second season, is streaming on HBO Max and Crave Canada.

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Edited by Aashna