Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams stepped onto one of Hollywood’s biggest stages Sunday night carrying both nerves and momentum.
The Heated Rivalry stars made their Golden Globes debut at the 2026 ceremony at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, where they presented the award for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role on Television. The honor ultimately went to Erin Doherty for Adolescence, but the moment belonged, at least briefly, to two actors whose rise has been anything but quiet.
Taking the mic first, Storrie leaned into the moment with visible jitters. “Hi, I’m sorry. It’s a little, uh, nerve-racking here being at our very first Golden Globes,” the 25-year-old told the room, drawing laughter from the crowd.
Williams, 24, jumped in with reassurance. “Just take a deep breath and picture everyone in the audience … you know,” he said, setting up a beat that fans of the series immediately recognized.
Storrie didn’t miss it. “Oh, yeah, I don’t really know if that works considering everyone’s seen us … you know,” he replied, nodding to the intimate scenes that helped propel Heated Rivalry into the cultural conversation.
Williams then asked whether Storrie thought the audience had actually watched the series. Storrie’s answer landed with precision. “That’s a maybe, but their trainers have, and their moms have, and their daughters have.”
From Cult Favorite to Awards Stage
The Golden Globes appearance marked the duo’s first major awards show since Heated Rivalry turned them into breakout names almost overnight. On the series, Storrie plays Ilya Rozanov while Williams portrays Shane Hollander, rival professional hockey players whose secret relationship unfolds over years of tension, longing, and carefully hidden moments.
The show debuted on Canada’s Crave before finding a much larger audience in the U.S. after being picked up by HBO Max. Its first season wrapped on December 26, but the story’s impact has extended well beyond the finale.
What’s Next for Heated Rivalry
Series creator Jacob Tierney adapted Heated Rivalry from Rachel Reid’s Game Changers novels, with the 2019 book serving as the foundation for season one. The show has already secured a second season, which will draw from Reid’s 2022 follow-up novel, The Long Game, continuing Ilya and Shane’s relationship beyond the secrecy that defined their early years.
Both Storrie and Williams are confirmed to return, ensuring that the story that launched them onto the Golden Globes stage is far from finished.
