New faces are hitting the ice!
As filming for season 2 of Heated Rivalry picks up in Canada, Crave is rolling out some exciting announcements as fans speculate on everything coming in spring of next year.
The first major announcement surrounding season 2 is two new faces who will be joining Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams. Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie are the latest newcomers to join the popular gay romance series. For those who aren't familiar with their acting credits, scroll below to learn more!
Who is Justice Smith?
This is a very exciting moment for queer actor Justice Smith. Although Heated Rivalry is the show everyone wants to star in, Smith has already built an impressive name for himself in Hollywood.
The star had his major breakout role as Ezekiel "Zeke" Figuero in Baz Luhrmann's Netflix musical drama The Get Down. Recently, movie lovers have seen Smith pop up in the Jurassic Park films and Now You See Me: Now You Don't. For gamers, Smith played one of the lead characters in the hit video game The Quarry.
Besides his acting accomplishments, Smith publicly came out as queer during a Black Lives Matter protest in June 2020. He's also been in a long-term relationship with actor Nicholas L. Ashe and the adorable couple has starred in fashion campaigns together.
Smith will play Harris Drover in the upcoming second season of Heated Rivalry. Harris is the social media manager for the Ottawa Centaurs hockey team.
Who is Charlie Gillespie?
Charlie Gillespie is the lovable heartthrob who's built an impressive following on social media. He's most notably known for playing Luke Patterson, the lead singer and guitarist of the ghostly teen band in Netflix's hit musical series Julie and the Phantoms.
Gillespie even starred alongside Dakota Johnson in Splitsville and alongside Noah Beck in the teen movie Sidelined 2: Intercepted. In Heated Rivalry season 2, the actor will portray professional hockey star Troy Barrett. He serves as the central protagonist and love interest in the fifth novel, Role Model.
What are fans saying about 'Heated Rivalry' season 2?
While many fans are thrilled to see Smith and Gillespie book one of the hottest acting gigs on the planet, some are expressing concerns over the accuracy of the casting. Some are disappointed that Smith doesn't physically match up with Harris Drover's description on paper.
In the Heated Rivalry books, Harris Drover is described as a regular, stocky, and broader guy who doesn't have the typical lean or shredded athlete physique. Smith, by contrast, is known for his much leaner, slender build.
"Justice is an AMAZING actor, but Harris is described as short, stocky, rugged & having a soft belly. Troy falling for someone w/ a non athletic build is also integral to his character/arc. This casting is disappointing," one person said on X.
On the other hand, some fans defended Smith's casting as a major move for authentic queer representation on Heated Rivalry.
"He is the first Black lead cast member on the show and he is openly queer. Fantastic Actor. Rooting for him," another commented.
Gillespie, on the other hand, is receiving praise for matching his character's description very accurately according to the books.
"Charlie! OMG! This is gonna be HOT asf," a fan commented.
Heated Rivalry season 2 premieres April 2027 on Crave and HBO Max.
