5 reasons we love Heated Rivalry’s Hudson Williams as he turns 25
Hudson Williams at the Golden Globes 2026 (Christopher Polk/2026GG/Penske Media via Getty Images)
It’s hard to believe it’s only been a matter of months since the world was introduced to Hudson Williams.
The actor shot to international stardom after landing the role of Shane Hollander in the gay ice hockey drama Heated Rivalry.
The show first released in Canada late last year, with its debut following soon after in the US and finally the UK in January this year.
READ MORE: Get to know Heated Rivalry’s breakout star Hudson Williams
If you’ve somehow managed to miss the hysteria, Heated Rivalry follows two rival hockey players as they navigate their booming sporting careers, and their blossoming romance, all while trying to keep it secret.
The touching moments, and the much naughtier ones, have cemented the show as a fan-favourite, and it’s been confirmed that season two is on the way.
Until then, though, Williams has been keeping fans well and truly fed. So, as he celebrates his 25th birthday, we’re taking a look at all the reasons we fell in love with him.
Hudson’s portrayal of autism in Shane
Not long after the release of Heated Rivalry, fans began questioning whether Shane might be autistic.
The author of the novel series, Rachel Reid, later confirmed in a Reddit Ask Me Anything that “yeah, he’s probably autistic”.
Fans appreciated the way Williams played the character, with the actor explaining his dad is on the spectrum so he wanted to play the role with sensitivity.
He told the Hollywood Reporter: “I love my dad to death, and I’ve always felt very connected to him. He has a sensitivity to him that is very boyish.
“I think when I read the script, I took a huge page out of living my life with him.
“Rachel has said [Shane] is autistic, so I think I knew how it should look. I empathised with him a lot, immediately.”
His boundaries
One of the reasons fans immediately clicked with Heated Rivalry was the partnership between Williams and his co-star Connor Storrie, who plays Ilya Rozanov.
The duo clearly have a strong bond off-camera (and let’s not even get started on how well they connect on-camera) and fans have eaten up every joint appearance or interview.
However, with the instant fame has come the parasocial relationships fans have thrust on the actors. Some social media users have taken it upon themselves to analyse every thing the duo do, with so-called “fan wars” breaking out among those who favour one or the other.
But Williams has made it clear that, while he loves Storrie, they don’t want to be joined at the hip.
He told Wonderland: “As much as we love each other, our friendship doesn’t need to be public. Jacob [Tierney] has that quote: ‘Shane and Ilya are for the public. Connor and Hudson are for themselves.’ And that’s how we feel.
“People want to see us front row together all the time, but we actively avoid that, because it starts to feel like branding. If you’re always seen together, you become attached at the hip.
“I FaceTime him whenever I’m free. But if we’re offered the same fashion shows, we’re like, ‘Which one are you going to? Okay, I’ll go to a different one.’ We’re stubborn, selfish artists who want to be our own people. We’re like, ‘I love you. I don’t want to do everything with you.’”
And you know what? Good for them!
Style icon
It wasn’t just fans hungry for more of Hudson Williams. He’s also been a big draw for the top dogs in fashion.
As well as countless magazine covers, including an internet-breaking Wonderland shoot, he’s walked the runway at Milan Fashion Week.
He walked for Dsquared2, wearing a stylish outfit that mixed streetwear with a more elevated look.
Since then, fans have noticed he’s been wearing outfits that have also been seen on catwalks.
We love a fashionable king.
He’s a strong ally
While he portrays a gay character, Hudson has kept his own private life just that. And we can’t blame him.
However his decision to keep his personal life private from fans hasn’t stopped him standing up alongside the LGBTQ+ community.
Since becoming an international star, Williams has taken a number of opportunities to share his love for the community. When asked if he had a message at the Golden Globes, he quickly said: “Love y’all, uh!”
He and Storrie also surprised fans at a West Hollywood gay bar to thank everyone for the support and interest in the show.
Just look at him
We know we’re being superficial, and it’s not all about looks, but one thing everyone can agree on is: Hudson Williams is hot stuff.
There’s plenty of bare skin on show in Heated Rivalry, but whenever he gets his hockey kit off for photo shoots Instagram turns almost feral.
When his Wonderland cover was revealed, which sees him in a wet T-shirt and red thong, fans went wild.
“Sometimes you just have to say ‘damn’ and scroll,” one said. Another wrote: “Respectfully zooming.”
A third commented: “He’s so hot it hurts me.”
It’s safe to say the magazine was a hit with fans, with a pre-order selling out in a matter of minutes. A second re-stock is also out of stock, though the same issue without Hudson is still available to pre-order, so fans can still get the majority of the photoshoot to do with what they wish…
Happy birthday, Hudson!
Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.
