Jack Innanen reveals why 'Heated Rivalry' season 2 wasn’t meant to be

Jack Innanen was offered a major 'Heated Rivalry' season 2 role but could not accept due to scheduling conflicts

Jack Innanen was offered a starring role in Heated Rivalry season 2 but was ultimately unable to join the series due to production scheduling conflicts, according to Entertainment Weekly.

The Canadian actor, known for his performances in Adults and Big Mistakes, had become a popular fan choice for the upcoming season of the hockey romance drama. Innanen had previously expressed interest in joining the series and revealed earlier this year that he had held discussions about a potential role.

Entertainment Weekly reported that Innanen received an official offer for a major part in the second season. However, conflicting production commitments prevented him from accepting the opportunity. Specific details about the role have not been disclosed.

The actor is set to return for season 2 of Netflix’s Big Mistakes, which recently secured a renewal following a successful debut season. Production on the comedy series is expected to take place in New Jersey, with Innanen reprising his role as Max.

Heated Rivalry season 2 is expected to begin filming later this year ahead of its planned 2027 release. The new season will adapt events from Rachel Reid’s novel The Long Game, continuing the story of hockey stars Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov.

Fans had widely speculated that Innanen could portray either Troy Barrett or Wyatt Hayes, two prominent characters from Reid’s hockey romance universe. Showrunner Jacob Tierney previously confirmed that Troy Barrett would appear in the upcoming season.

The series is produced by Crave in Canada and will stream internationally on HBO Max. Despite missing out on Heated Rivalry, Innanen remains busy with multiple television projects, including the upcoming second season of FX’s Adults, which is scheduled to premiere later this year.