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Hudson Williams says stepping back into Shane Hollander’s shoes for Season 2 of Heated Rivalry felt unexpectedly disorienting at first, even as filming ramps up in Toronto. The actor described a quick adjustment on set at a TIFF Q&A, and confirmed the sophomore season is already in production for a spring 2027 release.
Finding the rhythm again
Williams told audience members that returning to the role after the show’s breakout success last year was “surreal.” He and co-star Ilya Storrie needed a short period to reacquaint themselves with their characters once cameras started rolling.
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“He worked day one of shooting, I worked day two,” Williams said, then laughed as he reminded himself onstage, “Don’t spoil anything, don’t spoil anything.” Within a day or two, the cast settled back in.
He credited showrunner Jacob Tierney for restoring the show’s original tone and atmosphere. According to Williams, Tierney and the returning crew reconstructed the same intimate environment from Season 1, which helped the actors slip into character more quickly.
Where and when production is happening
Production for Season 2 began in Canada last month, with principal photography taking place in Toronto. The series is a Crave original that also streams on HBO Max.
Who’s joining the cast
Deadline has reported an expanded ensemble for the new season. The newcomers and returning names announced so far include:
- Justice Smith
- Charlie Gillespie
- Daniel Diemer
- Shaheen Jafargholi
- Emily Hampshire
- Edvin Ryding
- Robert Naylor
- Sabrina Jalees
- Priyanka
- Brendan Morgan
- David Tomlinson
- Gerry Dee
- Michelle Mylett
- Lauren Chan
- Nick Stahl
Crave has scheduled the sophomore season to premiere in spring 2027. Williams’ onstage remarks at TIFF offered an early look at how the cast and creative team are approaching a follow-up to a widely praised first season.
