Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie showcased support for their LGBTQIA+ fans during their latest public appearance.
Over the last few weeks, every corner of the internet has been engrossed in the gay hockey romance series, Heated Rivalry.
Based on Rachel Reid’s hit novel, the show follows Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, two elite professional hockey players who have a fierce rivalry on the ice but harbour a secret romantic relationship behind closed doors.
Since its two-episode premiere on 28 November, Heated Rivalry has gone viral on social media, with its stars, Williams and Storrie, achieving overnight success for their thoughtful performances as Shane and Ilya.
Amid the internet’s ongoing obsession with gay hockey romance, the two handsome actors recently took a moment to thank the show’s LGBTQIA+ fans for their enthusiastic support.
During their surprise appearance at a charitable trivia night at Hi Tops, an LGBTQIA+ bar in West Hollywood, California, Williams exclaimed: “Thank you for watching our show!”
Storrie went on to cheekily thank the crowd for tweeting about their butts before expressing his appreciation for the LGBTQIA+ community.
“Seriously, it means a lot to have so many people in this community just really embrace us and love this show. I think it’s awesome,” he continued.
After briefly taking over as hosts of the trivia night – which raised funds for Rainbow Labs – the two talents were asked if they had a message for young queer people who may be interested in hockey or relate to their characters.
“Take up space. Be yourself, be really loud and don’t take shit from anyone,” Storrie said.
Williams echoed similar sentiments: “Just believe in yourself and be yourself and just f**king schwing it, and bang it and fling it in every which direction. And don’t let anyone shut you up or shut you down.”
Toward the end of their speech, Storrie clarified, “‘It’ being your authenticity. Not anything else,” which resulted in laughs from the crowd.
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Naturally, the pair’s recent appearance has been a hit with fans on social media, with one person on X/Twitter writing: “‘Take up space, be yourself, be really loud and don’t take shit from anyone.’ Oh, Connor, you have my whole heart.”
Another Heated Rivalry enthusiast tweeted: “The way Hudson immediately puts his hand out for the mic when they’re asked if they have a message for young queer kids. I loved both of their answers. We’re so lucky that they’re the actors playing Shane and Ilya.”
A third fan added: “Seeing their support for queer people, especially young queer people, just makes me so emotional. I cannot.”
Heated Rivalry airs every Friday on Crave in Canada and on HBO in the U.S., with the finale scheduled for 26 December.
As of writing, a UK release has sadly not been announced.
For more Heated Rivalry content, click here.
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