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

Heated Rivalry: Williams, Arnaud Call Out Toxic Fans' "Hateful 'Love'"

Heated Rivalry stars Hudson Williams and François Arnaud called out toxic fans for their hate and continued efforts to divide the cast.

Just before the end of February hit, fans of Crave, HBO Max, and series creator Jacob Tierney's Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams-starring Heated Rivalry were on the receiving end of some great news about when work on the second season will get underway (more on that in a minute). Unfortunately, Williams and François Arnaud, following Ksenia Daniela Kharla, were forced to take to social media to call out so-called fans for their trolling and online hate-mongering.

"Don't call yourself a fan if you share racist/homophobic/biphobic/misogynist/ageist/ableist/parasocial/bigoted comments of any kind. None of us need your hateful 'love,'" read the statement posted by Williams and Arnaud on Instagram Stories, which zeroed in on those online looking to create a divide among the cast. "We all respect and support and love each other and are on the same side. If you can't accept that gtfoh [get the fuck out of here]," the statement continued – here's a look:

Heated Rivalry Creator on Love, Sex & Season 2

Series creator, writer, and director Jacob Tierney recently 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."

Checking in with CBS Mornings' Gayle King on Thursday, Tierney and EP Brendan Brady covered a lot of ground regarding the series, including the time frame for filming and the second season's premiere. With writing currently underway, Tierney shared that August is being eyed for filming, with an April 2027 return planned. "There will be more 'Heated Rivalry' on your TVs, like, truly, as soon as humanly possible," Tierney said. Brady added that fans should "enjoy the yearn" of waiting for the show's next season. Here's a look at what Tierney and Brady had to share about the hit Crave and HBO Max series, looking ahead to the second season, and much more (followed by some of Tierney's previous thoughts on Season 2):

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