Two fresh faces are set to join the realm of Heated Rivalry, with the casting news for Season 2 stirring both excitement and criticism among fans who had hoped for more accurate representation of body diversity from the books.
Crave officially announced on Friday that the cast of the immensely popular hockey romance series will be broadening for its second season with the addition of Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie.
Hailing from New Brunswick, Gillespie, who recently featured in the film One Night Only, has been selected to portray Troy Barrett, a forward for the Ottawa Centaurs. He previously showcased his talent in the Netflix series Julie and the Phantoms, which unfortunately got axed after one season.
Meanwhile, Smith, recognized for his performances in I Saw the TV Glow, Pokémon Detective Pikachu, and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, is set to embody Harris Drover, the Centaurs’ social media manager.
Troy and Harris take center stage in Role Model, the fifth book in Rachel Reid’s Game Changers series that serves as the foundation for the TV series Heated Rivalry. Crave has confirmed that the second season will follow the journey of the main characters from the first season, Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander, while integrating the narrative of Troy and Harris.
“Right from the outset of the casting process, we were on the lookout for actors who could deliver something truly extraordinary together and bring that same depth and emotion to the screen,” stated director Jacob Tierney and producer Brendan Brady in the casting reveal.
“Justice and Charlie embody just that. They immediately grasped the vulnerability and strength at the core of these characters, bringing an innate understanding of Harris and Troy’s essence.”
Fan Responses Vary
While some fans are thrilled by the news, others are voicing disappointment over Smith’s portrayal of Harris, citing it as a missed chance for more inclusivity in representing diverse body types on screen.
“Harris, as described in the book, refers to himself as slightly chubby, non-athletic, with Troy characterizing him as having a broad chest, sturdy build, soft belly, stocky and rugged appearance. It’s disheartening to lose that aspect of Harris,” shared BookTok content creator Taylor Layne, known as Taylor Just Reads, in a TikTok post on Sunday.
“Being a proud gay Libra, I deeply connected with Harris, and I was eagerly anticipating more body diversity, especially in a series about muscular athletes. […] I have faith that the show will be exceptional and the actors outstanding, but I’m also saddened.”
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