If Heated Rivalry has you thirstier than a mid-period Taylor Swift breakup album, you’re not alone. While the hockey romance series initially built its buzz around the fiery chemistry between leads Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, another star has abruptly, and completely, stolen the spotlight.
Enter Robbie G.K., the actor whose portrayal of Kip Grady has viewers rewinding scenes, pausing frames and fanning themselves like they’re watching a queer reboot of Top Gun. His breakout moment, yes, the shirtless scene, went viral before episode three had even finished airing.
But Robbie G.K. is more than the internet’s latest heartthrob. The 29-year-old Canadian actor, born Robbie Graham-Kuntz, brings depth and charisma to a role that could have easily been a simple “flirty barista love interest.” Instead, viewers are watching a fully realized queer character whose presence helps reshape the emotional backbone of the show.
A Standout Romance in a Series Already Known for Heat
G.K. plays Kip Grady, an out-and-proud smoothie barista who finds himself drawn to Scott Hunter, the closeted captain of the New York Admirals. Scott is played by bisexual Canadian actor François Arnaud, but even Arnaud admits Robbie steals scenes. Speaking to Deadline, Arnaud praised their on-screen intimacy, saying their dynamic “shows another side of sexuality… tentative, repressed… two people who are finally giving in.”
That chemistry didn’t happen by accident. The actors met for the first time with the show’s intimacy coordinator, and Arnaud later described G.K. as “open,” “simple,” and “beautifully grounded,” praising how effortlessly he navigates rom-com beats while keeping the performance authentic. Fans have noticed, and so have critics.
From Suburban Ontario to Streaming Stardom
Robbie G.K.’s rise might feel sudden, but his career has been years in the making. The Port Credit, Ontario, native began performing professionally at just 13, landing the role of Kurt Von Trapp in the Mirvish Theatre production of The Sound of Music.
He later attended Toronto’s Etobicoke School of the Arts, a powerhouse institution known for training some of Canada’s most recognizable talent. While there, he honed not only his acting but also his dance and musical skills, a versatility that would later lead to his earliest on-screen jobs.
His first major television break came in 2013 on the Canadian teen series The Next Step, where he appeared as Charlie. Robbie continued to build a varied résumé with roles in Utopia Falls, The Community Players, and Overcompensating, where he played the charmingly ambiguous Riley.
In 2023, he transitioned his acting alias to the cleaner, punchier “Robbie G.K.,” debuting the new name in the film The House Call. The rebrand appears to have paid off: audiences remember it, casting directors love it, and the bold-font version would look delicious on any marquee.
The Internet’s New Gay Crush
Now, thanks to Heated Rivalry, Robbie G.K. is officially a streaming-era sensation. His portrayal of Kip blends tenderness, humor, confidence and vulnerability, a refreshing departure from queer side characters written solely for comic relief or heartbreak.
And the best part? We’re just getting to know him.
As Heated Rivalry continues to dominate queer pop culture conversations, Robbie G.K. stands out not just as a thirst trap but as the emotional core of the season’s most compelling romance. The barista boyfriend fantasy has arrived, and judging by the fan response, he’s here to stay.
