In the realm of hockey romance, exciting developments are unfolding once more. Crave’s series “Heated Rivalry” is welcoming five fresh faces to its cast lineup.
Emily Hampshire, a prominent Canadian actress recognized for her roles in “Schitt’s Creek” and “12 Monkeys,” will embody Vanessa, a character working in a sex shop. Sabrina Jalees, a Canadian comedian and actress known for her work on “Laugh Out Loud” and “Canada’s Got Talent,” will portray Farah Jalali, a sports agent. Additionally, Priyanka, the winner of the first season of “Canada’s Drag Race,” will take on the role of Tarek, an office assistant.
Joining the ensemble are Robert Naylor, a Canadian actor and musician famous for voicing D.W. Read in “Arthur,” as goaltender Wyatt Hayes, and Edvin Ryding, a Swedish actor who starred as Prince Wilhelm in Netflix’s “Young Royals,” as rookie hockey player Luca Haas.
The cast announcement, revealed on Instagram on Thursday, also confirmed the return of Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie to reprise their lead roles in the adaptation. Season two will continue to narrate the love story of hockey rivals-turned-lovers Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov from Rachel Reid’s Game Changer series, particularly inspired by the sixth novel, “The Long Game.”
The first season of the show adapted the initial two books of Reid’s series, “Game Changer” and “Heated Rivalry.” With the latest cast additions, it is anticipated that the third novel, “Tough Guy,” will also be brought to the screen. Vanessa and Tarek are allies of Fabian Salah, the romantic interest of hockey player Ryan Price in “Tough Guy.”
Moreover, the upcoming season will incorporate the narratives of Troy Barrett, a hockey player traded to Ilya’s new team, and Harris Dover, a social media manager, from the fifth novel, “Role Model.”
Justice Smith has been announced as Harris, and Charlie Gillespie from “Julie and the Phantoms” will play Troy, as revealed by Crave on August 7. The second season of “Heated Rivalry” is slated to premiere in spring 2027.