Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, the breakout stars of HBO Max’s steamy hockey romance Heated Rivalry, just took their talents to Italy. But this time, they weren’t filming passionate locker room scenes. Instead, they carried the Olympic torch through the charming town of Feltre on Sunday, proving that life really does imitate art.
The duo participated in the 49th leg of the Milano-Cortina 2026 torch relay, waving enthusiastically to onlookers lining the streets. Talk about bringing some extra heat to the flame.
From Streaming Sensation to Olympic Tradition
The announcement came courtesy of HBO Max, which revealed that “Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, stars of the Crave Original series Heated Rivalry, have been selected to take part in the Olympic Torch Relay,” according to their official statement.
Now, if you’re not already obsessed with this show, here’s the quick rundown. Williams and Storrie play Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, two professional hockey players navigating a decade-long secret relationship. The series has become the No. 1 show on HBO Max, which is basically the entertainment equivalent of scoring a hat trick in overtime.
Admin is unwell.
🎥: @milanocortina26#Olympics #HeatedRivalry #HudsonWilliams #ConnorStorrie pic.twitter.com/XsC19gQyC6
— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) January 25, 2026Originally developed for Canadian streaming service Crave, the show snagged a distribution deal with HBO that sent its stars into the stratosphere. Meanwhile, Connor Storrie himself couldn’t quite believe the journey. Speaking to NBC’s TODAY show, he admitted, “I knew it was going to be something. I did not know it was going to be HBO.”
Star Power Meets Olympic Tradition
The actors’ recent public appearances suggest they’re handling fame pretty well, though “mobbed” might be an understatement. When Hudson Williams showed up at 30 Rockefeller Plaza for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on January 7, fans were already camping out to catch a glimpse of him.
Following in the footsteps of celebrities like Snoop Dogg, who memorably carried the torch ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Williams and Storrie brought their own brand of star power to Italy. The Olympic torch travels approximately 7,500 miles from Rome to Milan, where the Opening Ceremony takes place on February 6.
What This Means for Fans
Between this Olympic moment and the show’s upcoming availability on HBO Max in Italy starting in February, Heated Rivalry fever shows no signs of cooling down. The series has already been renewed for a second season, much to the delight of fans worldwide.
So mark your calendars for February 6, when NBC and Peacock will broadcast the Opening Ceremony at 8 p.m. ET. Who knows? Maybe we’ll catch another glimpse of our favorite torchbearers living their best Olympic life.
