Vancouver fan records gym encounter with Heated Rivalry star Hudson Williams

A Vancouver resident has shared a brief video and photo documenting a chance encounter with actor Hudson Williams at a local fitness centre, drawing attention online due to the actor’s rising profile.

Williams stars as Shane Hollander in HBO Max’s Heated Rivalry, a hockey-themed LGBTQ+ romance-drama based on the novel of the same name. The series centers on the rivalry and off-ice relationship between Hollander and fellow player Ilya Rozanov, portrayed by Connor Storrie. The show’s popularity has led to a second-season renewal and has sparked broader cultural conversations, including inspiring former professional hockey player Jesse Kortuem to publicly come out as gay.

Originally from Kelowna, British Columbia, Williams later moved to Vancouver, where he earned a fine arts degree from Langara College in 2020. Prior to his breakout role, he appeared in the series Tracker, which films in the Vancouver area, as well as feature films including Nobody Dumps My Daughter and Allegiance, according to IMDb.