Posted in: HBO, Max, TV | Tagged: Heated Rivalry

Heated Rivalry S02: Hampshire, Ryding, Naylor, Jalees & Priyanka Cast

Jacob Tierney's Heated Rivalry has cast Emily Hampshire, Edvin Ryding, Robert Naylor, Sabrina Jalees, and Priyanka for the second season.

As production continues on the second season of series creator Jacob Tierney's Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams-starring Heated Rivalry, we've got some big casting news to pass along. Emily Hampshire (Schitt's Creek, VisionQuest), Edvin Ryding (The Young Royals, 28 Years Later), Robert Naylor (Mile End Kicks, Cardinal), Sabrina Jalees (I Used to Be Funny, Black Mirror), and Priyanka (Drag Brunch Saved My Life, Meet Me Next Christmas) have joined the Season 2 cast. Hampshire will play Vanessa, with Ryding tapped to play Luca Haas. Naylor is set as Wyatt Hayes, with Jalees as Farah Jalali and Priyanka as Tarek. The five join previously cast Justice Smith (I Saw the TV Glow) and Charlie Gillespie (One Night Only), who were tapped for the roles of Harris Drover and Troy Barrett, respectively,

Earlier this month, Rachel Reid, author of the "Game Changers" book series, posted a major update on Instagram about Unrivaled, the seventh book in the series and the third to spotlight Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov. "I hope you guys like Ilya and Shane…," Reid wrote as the caption to a post that included an image of what we're safely assuming is the new novel finished – with a pen on top to drive the point home. Kicking off work on Unrivaled in 2025, the novel's original September 2026 release date was pushed to June 2027 after Reid was hit with health issues.

"To our incredible fans and everyone who's been sharing in the excitement for the show: Your support, enthusiasm, and kindness have meant the world to us. As we gear up for more 'Heated Rivalry,' please help us in making it the best it can be," Tierney wrote in an Instagram post on Tuesday. "If you happen to come across one of our filming locations, please give our cast and crew the space they need to do what they do best. We promise it'll be worth the wait!" it continued, signed by "Your 'Heated Rivalry' Family."

Heated Rivalry Creator on Love, Sex & Season 2

Previously, Tierney shared some insights about the second season of Heated Rivalry, which is drawing inspiration from author Rachel Reid's The Long Game. Released in 2022, the story spotlights Shane Hollander and Ilya Rosanov (played by Storrie and Hudson Williams in the series, respectively) ten years later, their relationship still a secret to the league and those close to them. Shane fears what going public would do to them personally and professionally, but (according to Reid's website), "Ilya is sick of secrets. Shane has gotten so good at hiding his feelings, sometimes Ilya questions if they even exist." Speaking with Variety, Tierney was asked how the series will handle the sex scenes between Shane and Ilya in the second season, given where the couple is by the end of the finale, and whether viewers can expect more nonsexual, intimate moments.

"You know, Rachel [Reid] talks a lot about the promise that I made to her to take her characters seriously. She takes them very seriously in 'The Long Game,' and that doesn't mean there's no sex. There's quite a bit of sex in 'The Long Game.' But I think it functions differently in the second book, and that's just what I want to do. The journey of this show, no matter how long it goes on for, will always be centered around the relationship between Shane and Ilya. Sex will always be a big part of it, like it is with any romantic relationship," Tierney explained. "But it's really about continuing that progress of what happens after that first blush of love, what happens after you decide you're in love, and how do you sustain it? That's a very adult question: 'We love each other, and now what? Does that mean everything's easy?' No, it does not. There's loads of challenges that get thrown Shane and Ilya's way. Beyond what's in the books, I really don't have an agenda besides that I love this couple, and I love these characters, and I want to just hang out with them more and watch them grow more and watch them become better for each other."

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