In the realm of hockey romance, there is a buzz of excitement as Crave’s “Heated Rivalry” welcomes five fresh talents to its ensemble. Emily Hampshire, known for her roles in “Schitt’s Creek” and “12 Monkeys,” will portray Vanessa, a character who works at a sex shop. Sabrina Jalees, a Canadian comedian and actress, takes on the role of sports agent Farah Jalali, while Priyanka, winner of the inaugural season of “Canada’s Drag Race,” plays Tarek, an office assistant.
Joining the cast are Robert Naylor, a Canadian actor and musician known for voicing D.W. Read in “Arthur,” as goaltender Wyatt Hayes, and Edvin Ryding, a Swedish actor who starred in Netflix’s “Young Royals,” as rookie hockey player Luca Haas.
The announcement of these new cast members was shared on Instagram by Crave. Season two of “Heated Rivalry” will continue the love story of hockey rivals-turned-lovers Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, based on Rachel Reid’s “Game Changer” series, specifically the sixth novel, “The Long Game.” The series of hockey romance novels intertwine character stories within the same universe.
Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie will reprise their lead roles as Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov in the television adaptation. The first season of the show covered the first two books in Reid’s series, “Game Changer” and “Heated Rivalry.”
With the addition of these new cast members, it is anticipated that the third novel in the series, “Tough Guy,” will also be adapted for the screen. Vanessa and Tarek are friends of Fabian Salah, the love interest of hockey player Ryan Price in “Tough Guy.”
The upcoming season will also 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, “Role Model.” Justice Smith has been cast as Harris, and Charlie Gillespie, known for “Julie and the Phantoms,” as Troy. The premiere of season two of “Heated Rivalry” is scheduled for spring 2027.