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8 clusters · 98 sources · 16 days · First seen · Last updated

Heated Rivalry Season 2 production and casting response

Overview

Filming for Season 2 of the ice-hockey drama ‘Heated Rivalry’ continued in Toronto throughout July and August 2026. As production ramped up, showrunner Jacob Tierney and Accent Aigu Entertainment issued a plea on Instagram for fans to respect the privacy of the cast and crew, stating, “Please give our cast and crew the space they need to do what they do best.” On August 6, 2026, new casting details were announced. Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie were confirmed as Harris Drover, the Ottawa Centaurs’ social-media manager, and Troy Barrett, a professional hockey player, respectively. Tierney noted that the actors “immediately connected with the vulnerability and resilience at the core of these characters.” Additional cast members were later identified, including Emily Hampshire (Vanessa), Edvin Ryding (Luca Haas), Robert Naylor (Wyatt Hayes), Sabrina Jalees (Farah Jalali), and Priyanka (Tarek). Returning leads Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie will continue their roles. Warner Bros. confirmed these additions for the HBO Max series, which is scheduled to premiere in spring 2027. The season will adapt the sixth book in Rachel Reid’s ‘Game Changers’ series, *The Long Game*, with the Harris-Troy storyline drawing from the fifth book, *Role Model*. The inclusion of characters from the novel ‘Tough Guy’ suggests the season will weave together various storylines from the book saga. Following casting news, some fans expressed skepticism regarding Justice Smith's portrayal of Harris Drover, but author Rachel Reid and production staff defended the selection. By mid-August 2026, the popularity of the franchise extended into academia. At the University of Victoria, two upcoming fall courses inspired by the series reached full capacity: an English department course titled ‘English 321: Authors on Screen — Rachel Reid’s Heated Rivalry’ and a Faculty of Law seminar, ‘Law 357: Queering Law’.

Entities

Rachel Reid · Heated Rivalry · Jacob Tierney · Crave · Connor Storrie

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

Timeline

  1. 1 day ago

    [CULTURE] 2 sources
    Heated Rivalry announces new cast members for season two

    The Canadian series ‘Heated Rivalry’ has announced new cast members for season two, including Edvin Ryding and Robert Naylor, as the show expands its universe based on Rachel Reid’s book series.

  2. 2 days ago

    [CULTURE] 2 sources
    University of Victoria courses inspired by ‘Heated Rivalry’ reach full capacity

    The popularity of Rachel Reid’s ‘Heated Rivalry’ has led to fully enrolled academic courses at the University of Victoria and the upcoming production of a second season for the television series.

  3. 4 days ago

    [CULTURE] 32 sources
    Heated Rivalry season 2 adds five new cast members

    The second season of the hit series ‘Heated Rivalry’ has announced five new cast members, including Emily Hampshire and Edvin Ryding, with a scheduled premiere in spring 2027.

  4. 6 days ago

    [CULTURE] 9 sources
    Rachel Reid defends ‘Game Changers’ season 2 casting

    Author Rachel Reid defended the new casting for season two of the HBO series ‘Game Changers’ following fan criticism regarding new actors Justice Smith and others joining the production.

  5. 8 days ago

    [CULTURE] 20 sources
    Rachel Reid defends Heated Rivalry season 2 casting

    Author Rachel Reid has defended the casting of Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie for season two of ‘Heated Rivalry’ following fan backlash regarding character physical descriptions.

  6. 10 days ago

    [CULTURE] 28 sources
    Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie Join Heated Rivalry for Season 2

    Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie join Heated Rivalry season 2 as Harris Drover and Troy Barrett; the season premieres spring 2027, adapting Rachel Reid’s novels.

  7. 13 days ago

    [CULTURE] 13 sources
    Heated Rivalry cast asks fans to give space during Toronto season‑2 filming

    Heated Rivalry’s crew asks fans to give space as season‑2 filming starts in Toronto; stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie spotted, with the season set for spring 2027.

  8. 16 days ago

    [CULTURE] 4 sources
    Heated Rivalry Season 2 Begins Filming in Toronto

    Heated Rivalry’s Season 2 is filming in Toronto with Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie back, based on Rachel Reid’s The Long Game, set for a spring release.

Sources

act.org · actuamusic.fr · archynetys.com · askanews.it · attitude.co.uk · bestmovie.it · brandonsun.com · ca.sports.yahoo.com · cheknews.ca · cinemablend.com · comingsoon.net · computerworld.cz · coolmagazin.com · coopamerica.org · cosmopolitan.com · craveonline.com · daninseries.it · darkhorizons.com · dattelner-morgenpost.de · deadline.com · deadlinehollywooddaily.com · desitalkchicago.com · diario.mx · dnamagazine.com.au · dorstenerzeitung.de · dorzeczy.pl · dziennik-polityczny.com · ecartelera.com · elle.com · emanuellevy.com · eonline.com · excelsior.com.mx · fugues.com · funcinema.com.ar · gayety.co · gayexpress.co.nz · gwiazdy.interia.pl · halternerzeitung.de · harpersbazaar.com · hirextra.hu · hollywoodreporter.com · huffingtonpost.co.uk · hugogloss.uol.com.br · ibtimes.co.uk · in.hellomagazine.com · instinctmagazine.com · jan-magazine.nl · jimhumble.co

This summary has been updated 14 times: see revision history