Hudson WilliamsBorn (2001-02-13) February 13, 2001 (age 24)Kamloops, British Columbia, CanadaAlma materLangara CollegeOccupationsActorwriterdirectorYears active2020 (2020)–presentKnown forHeated Rivalry
Hudson Williams (born February 13, 2001) is a Canadian actor, writer, and director. He is known for his breakout role as Shane Hollander in the Cre original television series Heated Rivalry (2025–present).
Early life and educationWilliams was born on February 13, 2001, in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada.[1] His mother, an interior designer, is Korean, and his father, a mechanical engineer, is of British and Dutch descent.[2][3] Growing up, Williams played basketball and practiced mixed martial arts.[4] He graduated from Sa-Hali Secondary School, where he was on the basketball team, and later attended Langara College, where he earned an acting certificate from the Film Arts program in 2020.[5] After graduating, Williams began writing and directing short films and attending acting auditions while working as a restaurant waiter in Vancouver.[6]
CareerWilliams had small roles on television series such as Allegiance and Tracker.[3][7]
In 2025, he was cast as Shane Hollander in the sports romance television series Heated Rivalry.[8][9] His chemistry with co-lead Connor Storrie was an important factor in director Jacob Tierney's casting decisions.[10][11][12] Williams said that his mother's concern that he would he trouble getting roles as an Asian Canadian actor was, in this case, unfounded; instead, his mixed heritage was a crucial feature of the casting call.[5] His preparation for the role included close work with intimacy coordinator Chala Hunter, who helped choreograph his "revolutionary" sex scenes with Storrie.[13]
Williams has received praise for the subtlety of his acting and his ability to convey Hollander's inner thoughts. Rachel Reid, author of Heated Rivalry, commented that Williams fully embodied the role of Shane.[14] She said, "what that guy does with his face tells a whole story...It's all in the acting; you can see everything that Shane is thinking and feeling".[15] Slash Film declared that "Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie are both delivering some of the best microexpression work currently on television."[16] When asked about his facial expressions, he said that other actors provided inspiration for his portrayal of Shane, including Rooney Mara and Trevante Rhodes.[17] The chemistry between the two leads received extensive praise,[18] with one reviewer commenting that they "share a chemistry so intense it rivals Bogart & Bacall."[19]
In December 2025, Williams signed with Creative Artists Agency for representation.[20]
Williams is set to narrate and voice the character Finn in the erotic romance fantasy audiobook Ember and Ice, created for the audio platform Quinn.[21][22] Reuniting with his Heated Rivalry co-star Connor Storrie, the first two episodes will be released on December 30, while the third and final episode will be released on January 6, 2026.[22]
Filmography This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Key † Denotes works that he not yet been released Short films Year Title Role Notes[3][23] Ref. 2020 Detective Ultra Gunman 2 Sanctuary Manni Over the Edge Cory Jump Patient 01 Also producer 2022 Off Objective The Agent A Girl Dies Random Guy 2023 Devil Makes Three Jason House of Yes Geoffrey 2024 Brim Reaper Huddy Teresa's Choice Donnor Voice role Peace of Mind Joel Sheepskin Blue Also producer Mrs Changs Perfect Teeth Massage Parlour Patron Rancid Jacob Also writer, director and producer Buttons Albert/Fab Also writer and director [24] 2025 Chad GPT Chad GPT The Dating Game Mr. Tip Snow Angel Also director [25] Soakers Bart Also writer and director [26] Peaceful Protest Turned Heated Rivalry Feature films Year Title Role Notes Ref. 2024 Nobody Dumps My Daughter Sean All I Need for Christmas TJ Television movie 2026 Encore † Drifter Post-production TBA 8 † Darius Post-production [27] Television series Year Title Role Notes Ref. 2024 Allegiance Junior Episode: "IRL" 2025 Tracker Brandon Stokes Episode: "The Disciple" 2025–present Heated Rivalry Shane Hollander 6 episodes Audio series Year Title Role Notes Ref. 2025–2026 Ember and Ice Finn 3 episodes [22] References ^ Randoja, Ingrid (November 20, 2025). "They Shoot, They Score". Canada Media Fund. Retrieved December 6, 2025. ^ Rapkin, Mickey (December 23, 2025). "The Naked Ambition of the Heated Rivalry Boys". GQ. Archived from the original on December 23, 2025. Retrieved December 23, 2025. ^ a b c McGowan, Elisabeth (December 1, 2025). "Who Is Hudson Williams? 5 Things to Know About the 'Heated Rivalry' Star". Hollywood Life. Retrieved December 2, 2025. ^ The Cast of 'Heated Rivalry' Plays "Most Likely To" | Connor Storrie & Hudson Williams. MuchMusic. November 28, 2025. Retrieved December 2, 2025 – via YouTube. ^ a b The Permanent Rain Press Interview with Hudson Williams | Heated Rivalry - Shane Hollander. The Permanent Rain Press. November 29, 2025. Retrieved December 2, 2025 – via YouTube. ^ Fell, Nicole (December 16, 2025). "'Heated Rivalry' Star Hudson Williams on Shane and Overnight Success". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 16, 2025. ^ "Hudson Williams | Actor, Director, Writer". IMDb. Retrieved December 2, 2025. ^ Gao, Max (November 20, 2025). "Inside "Heated Rivalry," the Gay Hockey Romance Series Changing Queer TV". Teen Vogue. Retrieved December 2, 2025. ^ Fienberg, Daniel (November 26, 2025). "'Heated Rivalry' Review: HBO Max's Horny Hockey Drama Is a Playful Gay Romance for Grown-Ups". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 4, 2025. ^ Sim, Bernardo. "Heated Rivalry: Hudson thought Connor would 'pin me down'". Out Magazine. Retrieved December 2, 2025. ^ Coleman, Ryan. "'Heated Rivalry' creator doesn't see 'any reason' to confirm the sexuality of lead actors". EW.com. Retrieved December 3, 2025. ^ Zee, Michaela (December 1, 2025). "'Heated Rivalry' Actors Say Sexual Chemistry Started in Auditions: 'Felt Like He Was Going to Pin Me Down and F— Me'". Variety. Retrieved December 3, 2025. ^ Maude, Samuel (December 5, 2025). "Everyone's Talking About the 'Heated Rivalry' Sex Scenes—Meet the Woman Who Choreographed Them". ELLE. Retrieved December 6, 2025. ^ "EXCLUSIVE: 'Heated Rivalry' Is Steamy Sensation. Author Rachel Reid Hopes It Changes TV Romance for Good". TODAY.com. December 7, 2025. Retrieved December 10, 2025. ^ ProducerLiz (Liz Duff) (December 4, 2025). Heated Rivalry Author Reacts to Episode 1-2 | Late Night Scrolling Canadian Pop Culture Podcast. Retrieved December 6, 2025 – via YouTube. ^ Colangelo, B. J. (December 5, 2025). "Canada's Heated Rivalry Destroys The Worst Trend Of American Streaming TV". SlashFilm. Retrieved December 6, 2025. ^ "'Fan Questions for Hudson Williams," Langara College TikTok". December 6, 2025. ^ "What happens when your gay hockey smut becomes a global phenomenon?". The Washington Post. December 6, 2025. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved December 10, 2025. ^ "HBO's "Heated Rivalry" is the Sexiest and Most Significant Queer Show of the Year | TV/Streaming | Roger Ebert". www.rogerebert.com. December 8, 2025. Retrieved December 10, 2025. ^ Tinoco, Armando (December 17, 2025). "'Heated Rivalry's Hudson Williams Signs With CAA". Deadline. Retrieved December 18, 2025. ^ Longeretta, Emily (December 29, 2025). "'Heated Rivalry' Stars Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams to Narrate Erotic Romantasy Series for Quinn: Exclusive Photos". Variety. Retrieved December 29, 2025. ^ a b c "Exclusive: Hudson Williams & Connor Storrie Are Rival Fae Princes Quinn's New Romantasy Audio, 'Ember & Ice'". Cosmopolitan. December 29, 2025. Retrieved December 29, 2025. ^ Sarkar, Ishani (December 7, 2025). "Meet Hudson Williams, who's stealing hearts as Shane Hollander in Heated Rivalry". South China Morning Post. Retrieved December 7, 2025. ^ "Buttons - The Lover Archetype Explored Through a Pussycat Dolls Odyssey - Short Film". YouTube. November 14, 2024. Retrieved November 3, 2025. ^ "Snow Angel – A Crime/Thriller Short Film". YouTube. October 31, 2025. Retrieved November 3, 2025. ^ Hudson Williams (December 14, 2025). Soakers. Retrieved December 21, 2025 – via YouTube. ^ @encoremov; (January 19, 2025). "we've come a long way and let's just say we cooked... see you in 2026". Retrieved December 3, 2025 – via Instagram. External links Hudson Williams at IMDb