The ensemble of Heated Rivalry continues to expand, with the popular Canadian hockey drama series adding three new cast members for its upcoming second season.
Heated Rivalry, produced by Bell Media’s Crave streaming platform, achieved worldwide success during its initial six-episode run, securing international distribution through HBO and propelling the careers of its main actors—Hudson Williams from British Columbia, Connor Storrie from the U.S., and François Arnaud from Quebec.
The fresh faces joining the cast were revealed on Thursday and include:
- Milla Jovovich, a Ukrainian-American actress renowned for her roles in the Resident Evil series and Luc Besson’s sci-fi classic The Fifth Element.
- Kevin Zegers, hailing from Woodstock, Ontario, known for his appearances in the CW series Gossip Girl, Paramount+’s The Madison, and films like Transamerica.
- Paul Gross, a prominent figure in Canadian film, television, and theater, recognized for works such as Due South on CTV-CBS and his directorial efforts in Men With Brooms and Passchendaele.
Author Rachel Reid, whose Game Changers novels inspired the series, expressed her excitement about the casting news in an Instagram post, lifting the veil on the new additions.
The Nova Scotia author emphasizes the importance of rural libraries and her contribution to the struggling Annapolis Valley Regional Library.
The show revolves around a clandestine love affair between two young competitors on the ice—Shane Hollander (Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Storrie)—as they navigate their burgeoning careers.
Gross, fresh from his role in the Stratford Festival production of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, is slated to portray the hockey league commissioner, Roger Crowell.
Zegers is set to play Coach Wiebe, the head of the Ottawa Centaurs team, where Rozanov is positioned for the upcoming season.
Jovovich will embody Dr. Galina Molchalina, a therapist fluent in Russian who provides support to Rozanov.
“Let’s turn up the heat, baby,” exclaimed Jovovich on her Instagram feed.
