Hudson Williams understands the assignment. The 24-year-old Canadian actor, who stars in Crave and HBO’s breakout gay hockey series Heated Rivalry, isn’t pretending he doesn’t know what viewers fixate on. When it comes to the show’s cultural impact, and his own, Williams is refreshingly honest.
During a recent visit to the MH Fitness Hub, Williams joked that his workout priorities are clear. The goal, he said, is maintenance and growth. Specifically, the kind that doesn’t go unnoticed on screen.
While Williams is comfortable leaning into the conversation, he admits his co-star Connor Storrie might feel differently. According to Williams, Storrie would happily retire the topic altogether, despite possessing what Williams describes as an elite-level example of athletic genetics. The contrast has become part of their on-set dynamic, and fans have noticed.
A Long Relationship With the Gym
The physique audiences see in Heated Rivalry wasn’t built overnight. Williams says fitness has been part of his life for as long as he can remember. His introduction came early, thanks to a father who believed in starting strength training before most kids outgrow recess. There’s video evidence, Williams says, of tiny dumbbells being placed into his hands before he could fully understand what they were for.
That early exposure stuck. Years later, Williams trains consistently, even when his schedule gets chaotic. His ideal week includes five sessions, but travel days often trim that down. When time is limited, efficiency takes priority.
Each workout typically lasts under an hour and focuses on full-body movements rather than isolating one muscle group. The approach, he says, keeps him grounded and functional, a necessity for a role rooted in elite athletics.
Raising the Physical Stakes
With a second season on the horizon, Williams isn’t approaching his training casually. His focus has shifted toward size and presence, particularly in areas that read immediately on camera. “I want to get bigger, juicier, thicker, I want to get big ass shoulders,” he said. “I want to put on 10 pounds of muscle.”
That ambition isn’t abstract. Williams has a clear reference point in mind, and it happens to be standing beside him on set. Looking back at the show’s debut season, he pointed to Connor Storrie as the benchmark he’s chasing. “I want to get as big as he was in the first season,” he said.
Beyond upper-body growth, Williams is also paying attention to what viewers tend to notice most. Certain angles, he joked, come with expectations. His solution is consistency rather than reinvention. “We got an M.O. to upkeep,” he said. “So I want to keep this butt and get a bigger butt as well.”
When the Show Changed the Plan
Initially, Heated Rivalry creator Jacob Tierney encouraged Williams to lean into realism. Hockey players, after all, tend to look practical rather than polished. The brief was simple: eat carbs, look capable, don’t overthink it.
That plan shifted once Williams surveyed the cast. Surrounded by teammates who resembled runway talent more than locker-room regulars, he adjusted accordingly. The visual language of the show had already been set, and audiences quickly responded.
Real Players, Real Inspiration
Off the ice, Williams looks to real NHL stars like Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid for cues, not for aesthetics, but for mindset. What stands out, he says, is their focus and reputation as team-first leaders. That discipline, more than size, shapes how he approaches the role.
Season Two Means Raising the Bar
With Heated Rivalry officially renewed and production expected to begin this summer, Williams isn’t easing up. His new goal is mass, particularly in the upper body. Adding muscle is now part of the plan, and he’s set a clear benchmark.
That target? Storrie’s first-season build.
Williams laughs when he predicts his co-star’s next evolution, imagining a protein-fueled transformation that borders on absurd. Whether that happens remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the gym will stay central to Williams’ routine as the series moves forward.
