The world of hockey romance is abuzz once more with the addition of five fresh faces to Crave’s popular series, “Heated Rivalry.” Emily Hampshire, a well-known Canadian actress, will take on the role of Vanessa, a character working in a sex shop. Joining her are Sabrina Jalees, a Canadian comedian and actress portraying sports agent Farah Jalali, and Priyanka, the winner of the inaugural season of “Canada’s Drag Race,” playing the role of Tarek, an office assistant.
Hampshire, recognized for her performances in “Schitt’s Creek” and “12 Monkeys,” and Jalees, the former host of the radio and web show “Laugh Out Loud,” bring their talent to the series. Priyanka’s success on “Canada’s Drag Race” adds an exciting dynamic to the cast. Additionally, Robert Naylor, a Canadian actor and musician known for voicing D.W. Read in the animated series “Arthur,” will play goaltender Wyatt Hayes, while Edvin Ryding, a Swedish actor famous for his role as Prince Wilhelm in Netflix’s “Young Royals,” will portray rookie hockey player Luca Haas.
The casting announcement was made public on Instagram by Crave, revealing that season two of “Heated Rivalry” will continue to explore the evolving relationship between hockey rivals-turned-lovers Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, based on the sixth novel of Rachel Reid’s Game Changer series, “The Long Game.” The series of hockey romance novels intertwines character stories within the same universe, providing a captivating narrative.
Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie will reprise their lead roles as Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov in the TV adaptation. The first season of the show covered the initial two books of Reid’s series, “Game Changer” and “Heated Rivalry,” with expectations of adapting the third novel, “Tough Guy.” Vanessa and Tarek’s connections to Fabian Salah, the love interest of hockey player Ryan Price in “Tough Guy,” hint at an intriguing storyline.
Furthermore, the upcoming season will incorporate the tales of Troy Barrett, a traded hockey player joining Ilya’s new team, and Harris Dover, a social media manager, from the fifth novel of the series, “Role Model.” Justice Smith has been cast as Harris, while Charlie Gillespie, known for his role in “Julie and the Phantoms,” will play Troy. The highly anticipated second season of “Heated Rivalry” is set to premiere in the spring of 2027.
