TL;DR
- The Heated Rivalry actors say they fully embrace the internet talking about Storrie’s butt.
- They describe themselves as “freaks” who love to play, dance, and improvise together off-camera.
- They explain how the sex scenes look spontaneous to fans but are very technical to film.
- Williams teases that Shane’s “oral fixation” will only get more intense if the show returns for Season 2.
- Their off-screen chemistry continues to fuel fan obsession.
‘Heated Rivalry’ Star on Being a Freak — and Everyone Talking About His Butt: ‘I Love It’
The Heated Rivalry takeover continues, and this week’s main characters are — once again — Connor Storrie’s butt and Hudson Williams’ mouth. And no, that’s not shade. That’s just the canon at this point.
As the Crave/HBO Max gay hockey romance cements itself as the internet’s latest collective sexual awakening, its leads are basking in the wild, thirsty adoration fans have unleashed. The stars sat down with Entertainment Weekly to talk butts, bodies, freak energy, and the shock of going from relatively unknown actors to the subjects of millions of gay group chats.
Spoiler: They’re loving every minute of it.
America’s New Ass
Storrie, whose backside has trended more times this month than most politicians, is fully aware of the cultural moment his butt is having.
“I think I saw someone say I’m ‘America’s ass,’ which… I was not expecting that at all,” Storrie admitted. “But yeah, I love it. I’ll take it. Feels good.”
His co-star Williams didn’t miss a beat: “It’s a great butt.”
And honestly? Correct.
For queer viewers who’ve spent years begging for sensual, athletic male intimacy that isn’t filtered through a hetero gaze, Storrie’s butt has become something of a mascot — a symbol of both thirst and representation. It’s not objectification when we’re all having fun.
Sex Scenes: Fans See Heat, Actors See Mechanics
The actors acknowledge the feral fanbase reacting to every thrust, shower scene, and longing stare, but insist that what feels scorching to the audience is extremely technical for them.
“The fans get spontaneity, but we see mechanics,” Williams explained. “We see Chala, our intimacy coordinator, going, ‘Knee higher! Knee lower! Hide your little ballet slipper!’”
Storrie added that the scenes didn’t feel “overtly sexual” because he’s focused on hitting marks, not hitting Ilya’s emotional breaking point while soaking wet in a shower.
Still, whatever they’re doing is working — the chemistry is explosive enough to restart the grid.
“We’re Freaks — Plain and Simple”
Fans have become obsessed with how close the actors appear off-screen, especially after a viral party clip of the two folding themselves into a pretzel-like interpretive dance. According to Storrie, this is simply what happens when you pair two chaotic theatre kids with good hips.
“Very plainly spoken, me and Hudson are freaks,” Storrie told EW. “We’re clowns. We just love to riff and have fun and go crazy.”
This, of course, only fuels fan fantasies about the duo’s connection — a gay fandom tradition dating back to the dawn of Tumblr.
The Oral Fixation Continues…
Williams revealed that Shane’s habit of chewing on anything within reach — hoodie strings, straws, emotional tension — wasn’t just acting. It was character commitment.
“If I’m texting, I’m putting something in my mouth,” he said. “And I’ll continue doing that for season… if we get another season. There’ll just be more things in my mouth.”
Sir.
No further questions.
What’s Next for the Romance That Broke the Internet?
Season 1 ends at six episodes, but because Rachel Reid’s novels continue the Shane/Ilya saga, the actors and fans are already manifesting Season 2. Given the show’s explosion across queer social spaces — the memes, the edits, the shower GIFs now embedded into our collective nocturnal thoughts — renewal feels inevitable.
But even without confirmation, Storrie and Williams are enjoying the moment, embracing fame, freakery, and fan thirst like absolute champs.