In the realm of hockey romance, exciting developments are underway with the addition of five new talents to the ensemble of Crave’s popular series, “Heated Rivalry.”
Renowned Canadian actress Emily Hampshire will take on the role of Vanessa, a character working in a sex shop. Joining her are Canadian comedian and actress Sabrina Jalees as sports agent Farah Jalali and drag queen Priyanka as Tarek, an office assistant.
Emily Hampshire is celebrated for her performances in the sitcom “Schitt’s Creek” and the TV series “12 Monkeys.” Sabrina Jalees, a former host of the radio and web show “Laugh Out Loud,” has also contributed as a writer for “Canada’s Got Talent.” Priyanka, the winner of the inaugural season of “Canada’s Drag Race,” completes the trio.
The cast additions also feature Canadian actor and musician Robert Naylor as goaltender Wyatt Hayes and Swedish actor Edvin Ryding as rookie hockey player Luca Haas. Naylor is recognized for voicing D.W. Read in the animated series “Arthur,” while Ryding showcased his talent as Prince Wilhelm in Netflix’s “Young Royals.”
The latest casting news was shared on Instagram by Crave, revealing that season two of “Heated Rivalry” will delve deeper into the evolving relationship between hockey rivals-turned-lovers Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, drawing inspiration from Rachel Reid’s sixth novel, “The Long Game,” within the Game Changer series.
Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie are set to reprise their lead roles in the television adaptation as the narrative unfolds. Season one of the show adapted the initial two books of Reid’s series, “Game Changer” and “Heated Rivalry,” setting the stage for a possible adaptation of the third novel, “Tough Guy.”
Moreover, the upcoming season is expected to 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 of the series, “Role Model.”
Justice Smith has been cast as Harris, and Charlie Gillespie from “Julie and the Phantoms” will portray Troy in the upcoming season, which is scheduled to premiere in the spring of 2027.
