Hudson Williams says his new movie script has an ex-hockey player and it’s causing problems
TORONTO, ONTARIO – SEPTEMBER 17: Hudson Williams speaks onstage during “Making Waves With…Hudson Williams” during the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival at Royal Alexandra Theatre on September (Getty Images)
Hudson Williams has revealed he’s writing a new film script featuring an ex-hockey player, but says the overlap with his Heated Rivalry role has left the team “considering other sports”.
In an Entertainment Weekly interview, the 25-year-old said: “I’m writing a movie right now, but one character is an ex-hockey player,” before explaining why that detail has become a sticking point.
“We’re getting tripped up on it, and we’re considering other sports, but for some reason this character just made way more sense being an ex-hockey player,” Williams said.
Why can’t Williams seem to leave hockey behind?
Williams played professional hockey player Shane Hollander in HBO Max’s hit queer romance series Heated Rivalry, which follows two athletes as they navigate their relationship in the hyper-masculine world of professional sport.
Now, the actor is writing a new film that also features an ex-hockey player. Speaking to People, Williams revealed that he and his collaborators have considered giving the character a different sporting background to avoid overlap with Heated Rivalry.
Williams added that the creative process had made him question whether he was placing unnecessary limits on himself, saying: “It’s almost like you have to bust through the prison of your own mind or construct of your own mind.”
The actor did not share further details about the film, but has previously written and directed short films including Soakers, Buttons and Inside Augustine Mendoza’s Quotidian Apartment.
Heated Rivalry season 2 and what’s next
Williams is currently filming Heated Rivalry season 2 in Canada. In September, Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams confirmed season two was on the way in a sweet viral video shared back in December.
He also has another release arriving this week: Williams stars in two roles in AMC+ thriller series Yaga, out on 23 October.
At a Toronto International Film Festival conversation in September, Williams said season 2 will closely follow Rachel Reid’s follow-up novel The Long Game. “It’s a sad book,” he said, describing a shift from yearning to “external adversity and [relationship] communication problems that feel very real and human.”
