Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams have shot past not just each other in Heated Rivalry, but also past the ice-hockey rink. With a new year comes new possibilities, and for Williams and Storrie, new fields to play.

Heated Rivalry has taken Rachel Reid's hockey player-romances and propelled them to the precipice of pop culture since its adaptation. While some might think its glory is short-lived, the 2026 Olympics have a different story to tell.

Somewhere in late January 2026, the first-time famed actors Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams were appointed as torch bearers for the 2026 Olympics. As of January 25, they have walked side-by-side during stage 49 of the Milano Cortina torch relay.

Onlookers of the sports event and enthusiasts of Heated Rivalry alike have tuned in, sharing and amplifying videos and pictures of the actors from every angle. They follow 2025's torchbearer, Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra.

The Olympics are only a stop in the long way Storrie and Williams' Heated Rivalry has been on.

Heated Rivalry's journey

Rachel Reid spun an idea out of the famous rivalry between stars Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin and chronicled a fictional set of stories around them. What was initially a series of books enjoyed by a very niche population turned into a worldwide queer sensation called Heated Rivalry.

The show began by attracting HBO Max, then, reportedly, new hockey fans to the slowly dwindling National Hockey League in real life. And while it has been established as no documentary, there have been moments where it has sparked real conversations about being queer in the sphere of professional sports.

Heated Rivalry has even given its stars, Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, a boost into their acting careers. Where the two used to wait tables while auditioning, the unexpectedly big show has propelled them right onto Olympic prestige.

What do you think of Heated Rivalry at the Olympics? Let us know in the comments below!

Written by

Adiba Nizami

Edited by

Hriddhi Maitra