This story originally appeared on Them.
Following news of his casting in the upcoming second season of the hit Canadian television series Heated Rivalry, out actor Justice Smith sent a message of thanks to the fans who have welcomed him into the franchise.
“I have to say I am moved by the support and love I’m getting from fans in my DMs, fans who have welcomed me with open arms and who already feel a responsibility to protect me,” the actor said in an Instagram story post over the weekend, per The Hollywood Reporter.
Smith, who has previously starred in films such as I Saw the TV Glow and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, has been tapped to play Harris, the Ottawa Centaurs’ social media manager, who is described in the book as “a little pudgy.”. Smith’s casting led to minor backlash among some fans based on his body type. Some viral social media posts over the weekend poked fun at the fact that, while Smith’s casting did bring added diversity to the cast, it did potentially not match up to how many fans envisioned the character.
“they cast a twink as Harris for Heated Rivalry season 2…” one person wrote, alongside a meme of Lady Gaga holding a bear pride flag.
“They gave me black Harris but made him skinny,” another person wrote. “why do y’all hate chubby men.”
“Happy for Justice but mourning MY harris,” wrote another person, who posted a picture of actor Larry Owens.
Smith seemed to be allaying some of these potential fears about his casting in his Instagram Story post.
“I am honored to play a character you all care about deeply and I promise I will take good care of him if you give me the chance,” he said. “I am beyond excited for this experience.”
Also Coming to Smith’s defense was none other than Heated Rivalry author Rachel Reid, who compared this reception to the one Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie previously received.
“Thinking about all the people last summer who told me the casting for Ilya and Shane was wrong and bad…” she wrote on Instagram after the casting announcement on Friday, per THR.
Smith’s casting was announced on Friday alongside actor Charlie Gillespie, who has previously starred in Julie and the Phantoms and One Night Only. Gillespie will portray Troy Barrett, a hockey player who gets traded to the Ottawa Centaurs. Smith and Gillespie will be co-leads in the second season alongside Williams and Storrie.
“Rachel Reid has given us two beautifully layered characters in Harris and Troy who you can’t help but root for,” showrunner Jacob Tierney and executive producer Brendan Brady said in a joint statement to Entertainment Weekly. “From the start of the casting process, we knew we were looking for actors who could create something truly special together and bring that same depth and heart to the screen. Justice and Charlie do exactly that. They immediately connected with the vulnerability and resilience at the core of these characters, bringing an instinctive understanding of who Harris and Troy are.”
The fact that Smith faced backlash from Heated Rivalry’s fans is not surprising, given how much digital ink has been spilled about the hit television show’s particularly toxic fandom. Fans of the show have been criticized for racist behavior towards Williams, for homophobic rhetoric in general, and for harassing its leads, including François Arnaud. The harassment from fans led to several of the show’s cast members issuing a joint statement in March asking fans to be more respectful to those involved in Heated Rivalry’s success.
“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’.”
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