Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie are not just igniting the ice with their skills; they're also setting the stage on fire as official torchbearers for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, as announced by HBO Max on January 22nd. Although Hudson and Connor won't be competing in the Winter Games as their characters did in the show at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, they'll be among the 10,001 individuals participating in the Olympic torch relay. The torch, which began its journey on November 26th and will conclude during the Games' opening ceremony on February 6th, is currently making its way through Venice, Italy, and will be in Trieste on January 23rd, according to the Olympics.
It's been a whirlwind experience for the entire cast since the steamy gay hockey romance—adapted from Rachel Reid's novel of the same name—became an international hit, both critically and commercially. "For a long time, I've been a cliché of an actor, struggling server, paycheck-to-paycheck, just desperate for any role, let alone a good one," Hudson explained on the January 20th episode of the Shut Up Evan podcast. "I was just talking with one of my agents yesterday and she said that Connor and I have had to learn what a lot of actors get in five years in like 30 days." The 24-year-old emphasized that he's had to "learn quickly and try to build a sense of direction."
Meanwhile, Connor—who, along with Hudson, will return for season two of Heated Rivalry—has also been trying to process his sudden rise to fame. "I feel really honored and blessed," the 25-year-old told The Hollywood Reporter in December. "I think being from this day and age, I'm very aware of the presence of social media. I'm aware of how connected you are to the people who are watching it, so that's prepared me to really engage with people. I feel good. My head hasn't exploded yet, so we're doing good."
In other words, these two aren't just heating up the ice—they're also igniting the world with their talent and charisma!
