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Heated Rivalry star Connor Storrie is already looking forward to the career opportunities that have come his way after the success of the HBO show, where he played the role of Ilya Grigoryevich Rozanov. Although the first season ended and the show has been renewed for a second season, Storrie's career outside the show is already booming, as he was recently seen announcing the nominees for The Actor Awards, an experience he calls "pretty wild" after his waiter job as he adds that now "instead of reading specials, I am reading nominations."
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, the actor talked about how he's reading a lot of scripts and that his agents have brought him some "really cool" opportunities. Speaking to the outlet, he stated,
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"They’re bringing me a bunch of cool opportunities that I can’t even believe I’m having. I’m just trying to do things that are cool and bold and swing big. I’m just talking to people and feeling it out. I’m very big on vibes too, because I think that even though you want to work with the best of the best or have parts that are ideally really cool, at the end of the day, it comes down to vibe."
Apart from that, Storrie is also working on an iPhone film, as he is also passionate about filmmaking. Talking about this, he added,
"A big part of my career and what I want to do right now with the show is I write and direct myself. I’m in the middle of doing an iPhone feature, this super indie kind of Sean Baker-esque film because I’m making it on an iPhone. I just want to develop as a filmmaker, too, alongside Heated Rivalry. "
More details about Heated Rivalry
In a year lined up with big releases, Heated Rivalry became the unexpected hit of the year, a queer romantic drama that doubled down as a sports drama too, around the rivalry of two hockey players who are a lot more behind the curtains, off the field. Created, written, and directed by Jacob Tierney, the series is based on Rachel Reid’s beloved Game Changers novels.
At center are Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, played by Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie. Shane is a Japanese Canadian hockey star captaining the Montreal Metros, while Ilya is a Russian powerhouse leading the Boston Raiders. The media paints them as enemies, but behind closed doors, their connection unfolds over nearly a decade, stretching across tournaments, hotel rooms, heartbreak, and unspoken longing.
The show first premiered on Crave in November of 2025 and quickly became its most watched original series ever. It later exploded internationally on HBO Max, turning what some lovingly called gay hockey smut into a full blown cultural moment. As of now, the show has been renewed for a second season.
Heated Rivalry is available to stream on HBO Max.
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