Hudson Williams reportedly didn't know swastika was drawn on his face in teen photo

Friends of Heated Rivalry star Hudson Williams have come to the actor’s defense after a photo of him with a swastika drawn on his forehead went viral over the weekend.

The photo went viral on Saturday after two separate posts shared images of Williams as a teenager. In the photos, the actor is seen partying with friends, with their clothes and faces covered in marker drawings. While many of the drawings are just people’s names, there are other words and markings, including the word “AIDS,” an upside down cross on his forehead, and a swastika drawn above his temple.

Combined, two tweets pointing out both the “AIDS” and swastika markings have garnered over 14 million views.

However, sources close to the actor who spoke to TMZ said that Williams was unaware of what was drawn on his face when taking the photo. The photos, per TMZ, date back to his high school years in Canada; he was reportedly taking part in a camping tradition in which kids get together, drink, and draw all over each other.

Sources said that Hudson had “no idea” that he had a swastika drawn on his forehead and that it was there because “other intoxicated teens” drew it on him for shock value. A friend of Williams said, “The markings do not and have never reflected Hudson’s beliefs, values, or character.”

Another source said the photos are from a group of underage kids doing “dumb things” while drinking and that Williams is “keenly aware” that the symbol is inexcusable.

People close to Williams underscored that he knows the “hurt and disappointment” that the photos caused and “deeply regrets” it.

Williams shot to fame in November with the stateside release of the Canadian hockey-themed romance show Heated Rivalry, which premiered on Crave but airs on HBO Max in the United States. Since the show’s rise in late 2025, Williams has himself been subject to anti-Asian racist comments about his appearance from the Heated Rivalry fandom, which led him, as well as co-stars François Arnaud and Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova to release statements condemning the behavior.

“Don’t call yourself a fan if you share racist/ homophobic/ biphobic/ misogynistic/ ageist/ ableist/ parasocial/bigoted comments of any kind,” the statement read. “None of us need your hateful ‘love’.”

Aside from Heated Rivalry’s second season, which is coming in April 2027, Williams will also soon be seen in Netflix’s The Altruists and the Crave drama Yaga.