‘Heated Rivalry’ just got better and fans are thrilled as actors Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie are officially joining Season 2 of the smash-hit romantic drama.
Smith will play Harris Drover and Gillespie will essay the role of Troy Barrett in the show that streams on Crave in Canada and HBO Max in the US.
While Crave and HBO Max have not yet disclosed official character outlines, in Rachel Reid’s ‘Game Changers’ novels, Troy is a hockey player who is relocated to Ottawa after distancing himself from a Toronto teammate involved in a sexual assault case. Harris serves as the Ottawa team’s social media manager who vows to help Troy adjust to his new environment.
Smith and Gillespie will lead Season 2 alongside returning stars Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, the breakout stars of Season 1. Storrie played Ilya Rozanov and Williams played Shane Hollander in Season 1 of ‘Heated Rivalry’, which became an instant global phenomenon upon its release in late 2025.
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Season 1, per the official logline, followed “what began as a secret fling between two fresh-faced rookies” and “evolved into a years-long journey of love, denial and self-discovery.”
‘Heated Rivalry’ has been created and directed by Jacob Tierney, who also serves as executive producer alongside Brendan Brady and Jayme Alter Wilson. Lori Fischburg and Liane Cunje serve as producers, with Reid as consulting producer.
Mike Goldbach is a co-writer on Season 2. Bell’s Sphere Abacus distributes the series internationally.
“Rachel Reid has given us two beautifully layered characters in Harris and Troy who you can’t help but root for,” Tierney and Brady said in a statement.
“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 duo added.