‘Heated Rivalry’ dominates 2026 GLAAD Media Awards

The cast and creators of Heated Rivalry reunited at the GLAAD Media Awards, celebrating a major win as the breakout series took home the award for Best New TV Series.

Stars Connor Storrie, Robbie GK, François Arnaud, Nadine Bhabs and Christina Chang were joined by producers Brendan Brady and Jacob Tierney as they took to the stage together to accept the honor. The group also sat at the same table during the ceremony, presenting a united front while celebrating the show’s growing impact and success.

The win marks a significant milestone for the series, which has quickly built a global audience with its story centered on a high-stakes hockey rivalry and a secret romance between two professional players.

During the ceremony, the cast and producers gathered on stage to accept the award together, highlighting the collaborative effort behind the show and its message of representation and inclusivity.

One notable absence from the reunion was Hudson Williams, who was unable to attend the event. While the actor did not share the reason for missing the ceremony, his co-stars still celebrated the show’s achievement alongside fans and industry peers.

The GLAAD Media Awards honor projects that promote fair, accurate and inclusive representation of LGBTQ+ people in media, and Heated Rivalry’s win signals the growing cultural impact of the series as it continues to reach audiences around the world.

Produced by Accent Aigu Entertainment and Bell Media, principal photography took place throughout Ontario, with Hamilton serving as a primary filming hub to stand in for locations such as New York and Moscow. 

Notable sites include Dundurn Castle, the FirstOntario Concert Hall, and the Sleeman Centre in Guelph for all on-ice sequences. The series had its preview screening at the Image+Nation LGBTQ+ Film Festival in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on November 23, 2025. The first season then premiered on Crave on November 28; it aired concurrently on HBO Max on the United States, who had acquired the series for an international release in select countries nine days prior to the Canadian premiere.

Heated Rivalry received critical acclaim, with praise for the directing, writing, and the lead actors’ performances and chemistry. It became the most-watched original series on Crave and was reported as the highest-performing acquired, non-animated debut on HBO Max. The series has been described by media outlets as a global sensation and a break-out critical hit. Following the conclusion of the first season, Crave announced that a second season was in development, intended to adapt Reid’s 2022 sequel novel, The Long Game. The second season is slated to premiere in spring 2027.

The film is based on Rachel Reid’s Game Changers novel series (2018–2027). Reid drew inspiration from the real-life rivalry between Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin for the book. She also cited Jaromír Jágr, Teemu Selänne, and Ilya Kovalchuk as other inspirations for the character of Ilya Rozanov, as well as Wayne Gretzky and Paul Kariya for the character of Shane Hollander.