In the realm of hockey romance, the excitement is brewing once again with the addition of five fresh talents to the ensemble of Crave’s popular series, “Heated Rivalry.”
Emily Hampshire, a renowned Canadian actress, will step into the role of Vanessa, a character working in a sex shop. Sabrina Jalees, a Canadian comedian and actress, will portray the sports agent Farah Jalali, while Priyanka, a drag queen, will take on the role of Tarek, an office assistant.
Hampshire is most recognized for her performances in the sitcom “Schitt’s Creek” and the TV series “12 Monkeys.” Jalees previously hosted the radio and web show “Laugh Out Loud” and wrote for “Canada’s Got Talent.” Priyanka emerged as the winner of the inaugural season of “Canada’s Drag Race.”
Joining the cast are Canadian actor and musician Robert Naylor as goaltender Wyatt Hayes and Swedish actor Edvin Ryding as rookie hockey player Luca Haas. Naylor is famed for voicing D.W. Read in the animated series “Arthur,” while Ryding starred as Prince Wilhelm in Netflix’s “Young Royals.”
The new casting update was shared on Instagram by Crave, revealing that the second season of “Heated Rivalry” will continue the love story of hockey rivals-turned-lovers Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, based on Rachel Reid’s Game Changer series, particularly the sixth novel, “The Long Game.”
Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie will reprise their lead roles in the TV adaptation. The first season of the show encompassed the adaptation of the initial two books in Reid’s series, “Game Changer” and “Heated Rivalry.”
With this fresh casting reveal, it is anticipated that the third novel in the series, “Tough Guy,” will also be brought to life on screen. Vanessa and Tarek are associates of Fabian Salah, the love interest of hockey player Ryan Price in “Tough Guy.”
Furthermore, the upcoming season will incorporate the narratives of Troy Barrett, a hockey player traded to Ilya’s new team, and Harris Dover, a social media manager, from the fifth novel, “Role Model,” in the series.
Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie were announced as cast members for Season 2, with Smith taking on the role of Harris and Gillespie portraying Troy. The much-anticipated Season 2 of “Heated Rivalry” is set to premiere in the spring of 2027.
