Meet Heated Rivalry season 2 Troy Barrett star Charlie Gillespie
Charlie Gillespie joins Heated Rivalry season 2. (Ben Hider/Getty)
Charlie Gillespie has been cast in the second season of Heated Rivalry, but who is the Canadian actor and singer?
The 27-year-old will join the wildly popular show as hockey player Troy Barrett. He will be starring alongside the existing cast of Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, who play hockey rivals-to-lovers Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander.
Heated Rivalry director Jacob Tierney has maintained that, despite Hollywood heavyweights wanting to join the cast, he’s committed to Canadian talent like Gillespie.
“We need Canadian talent, and we love Canadian talent. It’s not a burden, but it’s also something we literally have to do to get our financing,” Tierney said. Casting unknown actors certainly worked well for season one.
As the hype for Heated Rivalry season two continues to mount, here’s everything you need to know about new cast member Charlie Gillespie…
Who is Charlie Gillespie in Heated Rivalry season 2?
In Heated Rivalry season two, Gillespie plays hockey player Troy Barrett.
His character is a complicated one, a closeted player with a history of bullying. He joins Ilya Rozanov’s team, the Ottawa Centaurs, after a dramatic fallout with former friend and teammate Dallas Kent, who has been accused of sexual assault.
With a new team, Troy gets a fresh start. It’s also where he meets the team’s lovable, gay social media manager, Harris Drover (played by Justice Smith).
Troy is a central character in Rachel Reid’s book Role Model, the fifth book in her Game Changers hockey romance series.
Season two will also draw on Role Model, alongside the show’s central adaptation focus, The Long Game. In Role Model, Troy and Harris are the central couple.
Is Charlie Gillespie queer?
Gillespie has kept his personal life private and has not publicly shared details about his sexuality or who he is dating.
Instead, his Instagram account mainly features his work, with behind-the-scenes details alongside candid shots of his life and trips.
What has Charlie Gillespie starred in before?
You will perhaps recognise Gillespie as Luke Patterson in the 2020 Netflix series Julie and the Phantoms. The cult favourite musical comedy-drama follows a teen girl who finds her passion for music by helping the band Phantoms. Gillespie plays Luke, the band’s singer and lead guitarist; he is also the central love interest.
Additionally, he’s had supporting roles in One Night Only and Totally Killer. However, he had a viral role in Splitsville last year thanks to his sculpted body.
Also, Heated Rivalry isn’t the first time Gillespie has played a hockey player. In Shattered Ice, he plays Will, a New England teenage hockey player who attempts to navigate life after his best friend, the school’s star player, dies by suicide.
With some previous experience on the ice, we can’t wait to see Gillespie lace up his skates and join Heated Rivalry.
Heated Rivalry is streaming now on HBO, Crave and NOW. Season two is confirmed to premiere in spring 2027.
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