In the realm of hockey-themed romance, exciting developments are unfolding once more. Crave’s popular series, “Heated Rivalry,” is welcoming five new talents to its ensemble cast.
Emily Hampshire, a renowned Canadian actress known for her roles in “Schitt’s Creek” and “12 Monkeys,” will portray Vanessa, a character working at a sex shop. Sabrina Jalees, a Canadian comedian and actress, is set to play sports agent Farah Jalali, while Priyanka, the winner of the inaugural season of “Canada’s Drag Race,” will take on the role of Tarek, an office assistant.
Joining the lineup are Robert Naylor, a Canadian actor and musician recognized for voicing D.W. Read in “Arthur,” as goaltender Wyatt Hayes, and Edvin Ryding, a Swedish actor who starred as Prince Wilhelm in Netflix’s “Young Royals,” as rookie hockey player Luca Haas.
The announcement of these new cast members was made public on Instagram by Crave. The upcoming second season of “Heated Rivalry” will continue to chronicle the love story between hockey rivals-turned-lovers Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, based on Rachel Reid’s sixth novel, “The Long Game,” from the Game Changer series.
Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie will reprise their lead roles in the television adaptation as well. The first season of the show adapted the initial two books of Reid’s series, “Game Changer” and “Heated Rivalry.”
With the latest casting reveal, it is highly probable that the third novel in the series, “Tough Guy,” will also be brought to the screen. Vanessa and Tarek are associated with Fabian Salah, the romantic interest of hockey player Ryan Price in “Tough Guy.”
Moreover, the show will incorporate elements from the fifth novel, “Role Model,” featuring the stories of Troy Barrett, a hockey player traded to Ilya’s new team, and Harris Dover, a social media manager, in its forthcoming second season.
Justice Smith has been cast as Harris and Charlie Gillespie, known for his role in “Julie and the Phantoms,” will portray Troy. The eagerly awaited Season 2 of “Heated Rivalry” is scheduled to premiere in the spring of 2027.