Hudson Williams brought hockey energy, and a knowing wink, to late-night television.
The 24-year-old actor, who stars in the buzzy queer sports drama Heated Rivalry, made his late-night debut Wednesday on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. What began as a standard sit-down quickly shifted when Williams traded the couch for the studio floor, giving Fallon, and the audience, a crash course in hockey warmups that leaned fully into the show’s reputation for intimacy.
Fallon set the moment in motion by asking whether Williams could demonstrate something from his on-ice routine. The crowd barely needed convincing. Williams, unfazed, dropped to the floor and delivered a stretch that required knees down, hips open, and backs arched, a visual that sent the studio into immediate chaos.
“This is basically where I lived during filming,” Williams joked, nodding to Heated Rivalry’s frequent sex scenes.
When Fallon asked where he should position himself, Williams didn’t hesitate. “On your knees,” he replied, deadpan, as the audience erupted.
As the two leaned into the pose face-to-face, Williams critiqued Fallon’s form and added, “This is the best it gets. Johnny Carson didn’t do this.” Before relocating to a smoother patch of floor, Williams paused to wave at the camera and shout, “Hi, mom!” – a perfectly timed reminder that late-night absurdity still has limits.
From Viral Fame to Deer-in-Headlights Moments
Once upright again, the interview shifted toward the rapid rise of Heated Rivalry, which has developed an intense and loyal fanbase since its debut. Fallon asked whether the scale of the response had fully registered yet.
“Oh no,” Williams said. “I just kind of turn into a deer in headlights every time.”
That disbelief extended to his first late-night appearance, including the crowd gathered outside the studio. Williams jokingly referred to them as “these freaks,” quickly clarifying the comment with affection rather than shade.
He also paid subtle tribute to his character Shane Hollander, briefly donning glasses and keeping a can of ginger ale nearby, details fans of the series immediately clocked.
The Reality of Filming Intimacy
Williams didn’t shy away from discussing the less glamorous side of shooting sex-heavy scenes. Asked about on-set logistics, he described the “intimacy garment” required during filming, offering an explanation that was as candid as it was comedic.
“They call it a modesty garment,” he said, before admitting that by the end of production, the name felt optimistic at best. Wearing only that piece, he added, was “awful.”
“It kind of grabs the berries,” Williams quipped, earning another round of laughter.
What’s Ahead for Season Two
Before wrapping, Williams teased what fans can expect when Heated Rivalry returns, though patience will be required. Season two isn’t expected to arrive until 2027.
“There are some meanies. There are some big baddies,” he said. “If season one is an internal battle, season two is an external battle.”
If his Tonight Show debut proved anything, it’s that Williams is comfortable leaning into the show’s heat, humor, and hype, even if it means ending up on the floor in front of millions.
