Hudson Williams' patience for internet gossip was reaching its breaking point. The actor from the Crave and HBO Max series The Heated Rivalry had enough after a recent gossip blog by Deuxmoi's Deux U podcast criticized the show for solely relying on the steamy depiction of a gay romance between two hockey players to draw viewers.
During the December 19 episode of the podcast, an anonymous host stated, "I didn't find the acting that strong," to which their cohost replied, "People aren't watching it for the acting." The pair also shared alleged details about Hudson's personal life submitted by listeners, including the claim that the 24-year-old, who portrays hockey star Shane Hollander in the Canadian TV drama, is dating a tattoo artist who gave him and costar Connor Storrie matching "Sex Sells" body art.
When a clip from the podcast was shared on Instagram, social media users were swift to condemn the speculation—including Hudson himself, who left a comment on the now-deleted post. "You know what," he wrote, "I've grown quite unfond of you, deuxmoi."
While fans and critics alike have praised the onscreen chemistry between Hudson and Connor—who plays Shane's Russian rival Ilya Rozanov—some have raised questions about their sexuality in real life, though neither actor has directly shared their orientation. Instead, Hudson has accepted the chatter as being part of "the nature of celebrity."
"I think there's never a question for me," he told Deadline in an interview published December 11th. "When I dream of becoming in the public eye, I want just a level of privacy." And while Hudson acknowledged the importance of "queer people telling queer stories," he also emphasized that his pairing with Connor, 25, was a singular connection. "There's the element of Connor and I," he continued. "We're best friends, and we love expressing that physically."
Similarly, Connor has avoided discussing his love life in order to keep audiences focused on Shane and Ilya's magnetic pairing. "I feel honored to be able to bring someone to life that so many people feel seen, understood, and represented by," he said in an interview with Vulture published December 22nd. "And I think that transcends whoever I'm sleeping with in my real life."
