The world of hockey romance is buzzing with excitement as Crave introduces five fresh faces to its popular series, “Heated Rivalry.” Canadian actress Emily Hampshire takes on the role of Vanessa, a sex shop employee, while Canadian comedian and actress Sabrina Jalees portrays sports agent Farah Jalali, and drag queen Priyanka steps into the character of Tarek, an office assistant.
Emily Hampshire is renowned for her performances in “Schitt’s Creek” and “12 Monkeys,” while Sabrina Jalees previously hosted the radio and web show “Laugh Out Loud” and wrote for “Canada’s Got Talent.” Priyanka clinched victory in the inaugural season of “Canada’s Drag Race.”
Joining the ensemble are Canadian actor and musician Robert Naylor as goaltender Wyatt Hayes and Swedish actor Edvin Ryding as rookie hockey player Luca Haas. Robert Naylor is recognized for voicing D.W. Read in the animated series “Arthur,” and Edvin Ryding starred as Prince Wilhelm in Netflix’s “Young Royals.”
The casting news was shared on Instagram by Crave, confirming that season two of “Heated Rivalry” will continue to follow the captivating tale of hockey rivals turned lovers, Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, inspired by Rachel Reid’s sixth novel, “The Long Game,” from the Game Changer series. The Game Changer novels delve into the world of hockey romance with interconnected character storylines.
Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie are set to reprise their lead roles in the TV adaptation. Season one of the series covered the first two books from Reid’s series, “Game Changer” and “Heated Rivalry.”
With the latest casting announcement, it is anticipated that the third novel, “Tough Guy,” will also be brought to life on screen. Vanessa and Tarek are connected to Fabian Salah, the love interest of hockey player Ryan Price in “Tough Guy.”
The upcoming season will incorporate the narratives of Troy Barrett, a hockey player traded to Ilya’s new team, and Harris Dover, a social media manager, from the fifth novel, “Role Model.” Justice Smith was cast as Harris, and Charlie Gillespie from “Julie and the Phantoms” as Troy in the new season set to air in spring 2027.
