'Heated Rivalry' features Justice Smith, Charlie Gillespie
Los Angeles, August 8
Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie have been roped in for the second season of 'Heated Rivalry'.
Smith will play Harris Drover and Gillespie will play Troy Barrett. While official character descriptions have not yet been provided by Crave and HBO Max, in Rachel Reid's "Game Changers" books, Troy is a hockey player who gets traded to the Ottawa team after severing ties with a former friend and teammate on the Toronto team who is accused of sexual assault. Harris is Ottawa's social media manager, who becomes determined to get Troy out of his shell, as per Variety.
Smith and Gillespie will lead Season 2 alongside returning stars Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, who broke out in Season 1 as Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander. According to the official logline, the first season followed what began as "a secret fling between two fresh-faced rookies," evolving into "a years-long journey of love, denial and self-discovery."
"Heated Rivalry" is commissioned by Crave, owned by Bell Media, with the participation of the Canada Media Fund. Jacob Tierney created the series and serves as director while executive producing alongside Brendan Brady and Jayme Alter Wilson. Lori Fischburg and Liane Cunje serve as producers, with Reid as consulting producer. Mike Goldbach is a co-writer on Season 2. Bell's Sphere Abacus distributes the series internationally.
The show will be available in India on Lionsgate Play.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Season 1 was surprisingly good, bro. The chemistry between Connor and Hudson was off the charts. Now with Justice and Charlie joining as the new leads, I hope they keep the same emotional intensity. Also, the storyline about the sexual assault accusation is quite serious—hope they handle it with sensitivity.
I’m a big fan of the "Game Changers" book series, and this adaptation is doing justice so far. The casting for Season 2 looks perfect. Harris and Troy’s dynamic is going to be interesting, especially with Troy dealing with the fallout from his past. Representation matters, and having diverse leads is a great step forward.
Okay, but can we talk about how amazing Charlie Gillespie was in "Julie and the Phantoms"? He’s going to bring so much depth to Troy. And Justice Smith is a powerhouse. This is going to be one of the most anticipated shows on Lionsgate Play. Mark my words, desi audience will love this! 🇮🇳❤️
I loved Season 1 but I’m a bit skeptical about Season 2. The whole premise of Troy being traded for being involved with a teammate accused of assault is a heavy storyline. I just hope they don’t glorify it or make it a side plot. These issues are real, and we need thoughtful storytelling.
Nice to see international shows making their way to India. The cast is talented, and the "enemies to lovers" trope never gets old. Can’t wait to binge-watch this with my friends here in Bangalore. Let’s go! 🍿