An Emmy-winning producer has announced a casting call for a reality show, inspired by Heated Rivalry, that would showcase "the Avengers of gay hockey."
Joel Relampagos — the CEO of media production company North Star Content who previously served as an executive producer on NBC's The Biggest Loser — is searching for queer hockey players across the U.S. for an unscripted series that would tell their stories "in and outside the ice rink."
Relampagos — who first emerged in the public eye as the subject of the 2002 MTV documentary True Life: I'm Coming Out — was inspired to create this reality show by the hit Crave/HBO Max scripted series centered on queer hockey players Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie), which has become a global phenomenon. (Relampagos is unaffiliated with the show.)
“There’s no question that the biggest scripted show out there is Heated Rivalry," says Relampagos, who shared this announcement exclusively with Out. "As an out executive producer for unscripted television, I wanted to create a show with real, queer, hockey players who have lives so interesting that we can’t wait to see how it all unfolds in and outside the ice rink. We started this casting process just a few weeks ago, and already the submissions we’ve been receiving are phenomenal."
"I know we’re going to end up with a hit cast. Think of it as the Avengers of gay hockey!" he adds. "I’m so honored to be working with Out to get the word out there even more. I can only imagine how many more amazing personalities we’re going to come across. So if you’re reading this and you’re an openly out hockey player, or know someone that is a hockey player, check out the instructions for casting in this article, and I can’t wait to hear from you!"
Interested queer hockey players of any level — from local leagues to professional leagues — are encouraged to apply. How? Email submissions to casting@northstar-content.com with the subject line “HOCKEY." In the submission, send a photo or headshot, as well as a video (no longer than two minutes), introducing yourself and your relationship with hockey — and why you believe you'd be perfect for the series.
In the email, please also respond to the questions below with written replies, which can also be used as prompts to inspire your video. See you in the reality rink!
- Full Name
- Age
- Phone Number
- Recent Photo or Headshot
- Gender You Identify As
- Sexual Orientation
- Social Media Handles
- How long have you been playing hockey for?
- What position do you play in the rink?
- Why would you be perfect for this show?
- How do your friends describe yourself?
- What are some interesting things about your life that would be entertaining to watch on TV?
