Hudson Williams
Hudson Williams | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 13, 2001 Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 2020–present |
| Known for | Heated Rivalry |
Hudson Williams (born February 13, 2001) is a Canadian actor, writer, and director. He is known for his role as Shane Hollander in the Crave original television series Heated Rivalry (2025–present).
Early life and education
Williams was born on February 13, 2001, in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada,[1] to a Korean mother and a father of British and Dutch descent.[2][3] He played basketball and practiced mixed martial arts growing up.[4] He graduated with an acting certificate from the Film Arts program at Langara College in 2020.[5] Williams has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).[6]
Career
Williams has appeared in television series including Allegiance and Tracker, and has both acted in and directed several short films.[7][2]
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 have 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 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]
Filmography
| † | Denotes works that have not yet been released |
Short films
| Year | Title | Role | Notes[2][21] | 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 | [22] | |
| 2025 | Chad GPT | Chad GPT | ||
| The Dating Game | Mr. Tip | |||
| Snow Angel | Also director | [23] |
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 | [24] |
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 |
References
- ^ Randoja, Ingrid (November 20, 2025). "They Shoot, They Score". Canada Media Fund. Retrieved December 6, 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.
- ^ Prance, Sam. "Heated Rivalry actor Hudson Williams' age, height, past roles, where he's from and more". Capital. 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ @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.