Hudson Williams
Williams in 2025
Born (2001-02-13) February 13, 2001 (age 25)
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
Alma mater Langara College
Occupation
  • Actor
Years active 2020 (2020)–present
Known for Heated Rivalry

Hudson Williams (born February 13, 2001) is a Canadian actor. He gained prominence for his breakout role as Shane Hollander in the Crave original television series Heated Rivalry (2025–present), for which he received a nomination for the Canadian Screen Award for Best Leading Performance in a Drama Series.

Early life and education

Williams was born on February 13, 2001, in Kelowna, 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] At a young age, his family moved to Kamloops, British Columbia, where he was raised.[4][5] Williams attended Beattie School of the Arts, where he took classes in dance, music and theatre,[1] and later graduated from Sa-Hali Secondary School, where he was on the basketball team.[6] In addition to playing basketball, Williams practiced mixed martial arts.[6]

In 2020, Williams moved to Vancouver to attend Langara College, where he earned an acting certificate from the Film Arts program that same year.[7] After graduating, he began writing and directing short films and attending acting auditions while working as a restaurant server at The Old Spaghetti Factory in New Westminster.[8][9]

Career

Williams had small roles on television series such as Allegiance (2024) and Tracker (2025).[3]

In 2025, he was cast as Shane Hollander in the sports romance television series Heated Rivalry, based on the Game Changers novel series by Rachel Reid.[10][11] His chemistry with co-lead Connor Storrie was an important factor in director Jacob Tierney's casting decisions.[12][13][14] 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.[7]

Williams has received praise for the subtlety of his acting and his ability to convey Hollander's inner thoughts, as well as his nuanced and non-stereotypical portrayal of an autistic character.[15] Reid commented that Williams fully embodied the role of Shane.[16] 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".[17] /Film declared that "Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie are both delivering some of the best microexpression work currently on television."[18] When asked about his facial expressions, he said that other actors provided inspiration for his portrayal of Shane, including Rooney Mara in Carol (2015) and Trevante Rhodes in Moonlight (2016).[19] The chemistry between the two leads received extensive praise,[20] with Kaiya Shunyata for RogerEbert.com writing, "Williams and Storrie share a chemistry so intense it rivals Bogart & Bacall."[21] Williams was nominated for Best Lead Performer in a Drama Series at the 2026 Canadian Screen Awards for his role in Heated Rivalry.[22]

In December 2025, Williams signed with Creative Artists Agency for representation.[23] Williams narrated and voiced the character Finn in the romance fantasy audio series Ember and Ice, produced for the audio platform Quinn.[24][25] Reuniting with his Heated Rivalry co-star Connor Storrie, the three episodes were released between December 30, 2025, and January 5, 2026.[25]

On January 16, 2026, Williams made his runway debut, opening Dsquared²'s fashion show at Milan Fashion Week.[26] On January 25, 2026, Williams and Storrie took part in the 2026 Winter Olympics torch relay in Feltre, Italy.[27] Five days later, he met Canadian prime minister Mark Carney at an event promoting the Canadian film and TV industry in Ottawa.[28] Williams attended the 98th Academy Awards and Vanity Fair Oscars After-Party in March 2026, where his presence generated a combined media impact value of $6.16 million for designer brand partners Balenciaga and Bulgari, as measured by earned engagement throughout the awards season.[29]

In February 2026, Williams joined the cast of the Crave television series Yaga, a reimagining of the myth of Baba Yaga based on the play by Kat Sandler.[30] In March, he was cast in a leading role opposite Dylan O'Brien in the feature film Apparatus, directed by Sofia Banzhaf.[31] In April 2026, he joined an ensemble cast including Charlize Theron, Julia Garner, and Demi Moore in the culinary thriller film Tyrant, directed by David Weil.[32]

In April 2026, Williams starred opposite Laufey in the music video for her single "Madwoman", along with Alysa Liu, Lola Tung, and Megan Skiendiel.[33] The same month, he became the first non-athlete to star in a campaign for Peloton Interactive,[34] with the company's "Let Yourself Go" campaign.[35]

Personal life

In a February 14, 2026 Instagram story, Williams shared that he has been in a long-term relationship with Vancouver-based tattoo artist Katelyn Rose Larson.[36] In interviews, he has spoken about having ADHD.[37]

Williams said in a December 2025 interview with GQ magazine that he has "always loved queer cinema," naming Moonlight and Brokeback Mountain among his favorites.[38]

Williams has a matching tattoo of the phrase "sex sells" with Heated Rivalry co-star Connor Storrie, referencing the show's explicit nature as well as, in Williams' own words, "the worth and merit beyond that."[39]

In March 2026, Williams shared a joint statement with Heated Rivalry co-star François Arnaud on their Instagram stories addressing hate from fans.[40][clarification needed] The post read, "Don't call yourself a fan if you share racist/homophobic/biphobic/misogynistic/ageist/ableist/parasocial/bigoted comments of any kind ... None of us need your hateful 'love' ... We all respect and support and love each other and are on the same side ... if you can't accept that gtfoh [get the fuck out of here]."[40]

Filmography

Film

Key
† Denotes films that have not yet been released
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2026 Encore † Drifter Post-production [23][41]
TBA 8 † Darius [23]
Apparatus † Tyler [31]
Tyrant † Filming [32]

Television

Key
† Denotes series that have not yet been released
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2024 Allegiance Junior Episode: "IRL" [23]
Nobody Dumps My Daughter Sean Television film [42]
All I Need for Christmas TJ [42]
2025 Tracker Brandon Stokes Episode: "The Disciple" [23]
2025–present Heated Rivalry Shane Hollander Main role; 6 episodes [43]
2026 Saturday Night Live Himself Episode: "Connor Storrie / Mumford & Sons" [44]
TBA The Altruists † Duncan Rheingans‑Yoo [45]
Yaga † Henry Park [30]

Audio series

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2025–2026 Ember and Ice Prince Finn Lunare 3 episodes [25]

Music videos

Year Title Artist Role Ref.
2026 "Lights On" Love Lucille Count Orlok [46]
"Madwoman" Laufey The Man [47]

Awards and nominations

Awards and nominations received by Hudson Williams
Award Year[a] Category Nominated Work Result Ref.
Vancouver Badass Film Festival 2024 Best Ensemble Devil Makes Three Won [48]
Hollywood ShortsFest 2026 Best First-Time Director[b] Rancid Won [49]
ACTRA Award 2026 Members' Choice Series Ensemble Heated Rivalry Pending [50]
Canadian Screen Awards 2026 Best Lead Performer, Drama Pending [51][52]
  1. ^ The listed year refers to the date of the ceremony, not necessarily the year in which the work was released/premiered.
  2. ^ Shared with co-director Alex Vance

References

  1. ^ a b Evan Ross Katz (January 20, 2026). Hudson Williams Part 1 (Full Episode) | Shut Up Evan Podcast. Retrieved January 20, 2026 – via YouTube.
  2. ^ Rapkin, Mickey (December 23, 2025). "The Naked Ambition of the Heated Rivalry Boys". GQ. Archived from the original on February 20, 2026. Retrieved December 23, 2025.
  3. ^ a b McGowan, Elisabeth (December 1, 2025). "Who Is Hudson Williams? 5 Things to Know About the 'Heated Rivalry' Star". Hollywood Life. Retrieved December 2, 2025.
  4. ^ Randoja, Ingrid (November 20, 2025). "They Shoot, They Score". Canada Media Fund. Archived from the original on December 10, 2025. Retrieved December 6, 2025.
  5. ^ Gee, Dana (January 12, 2026). "Heated Rivalry star Hudson Williams donates money to B.C. Children's Hospital at Golden Globes". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved January 16, 2026.
  6. ^ a b The Cast of 'Heated Rivalry' Plays "Most Likely To" | Connor Storrie & Hudson Williams. MuchMusic. November 28, 2025. Archived from the original on December 3, 2025. Retrieved December 2, 2025 – via YouTube.
  7. ^ a b The Permanent Rain Press Interview with Hudson Williams | Heated Rivalry - Shane Hollander. The Permanent Rain Press. November 29, 2025. Archived from the original on November 30, 2025. Retrieved December 2, 2025 – via YouTube.
  8. ^ Fell, Nicole (December 16, 2025). "'Heated Rivalry' Star Hudson Williams on Shane and Overnight Success". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 16, 2025. Retrieved December 16, 2025.
  9. ^ "'Didn't expect it to get this big': Hudson Williams' Old Spaghetti Factory colleagues blown away by his rise to fame". CTV News Vancouver. January 21, 2026. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
  10. ^ Gao, Max (November 20, 2025). "Inside "Heated Rivalry," the Gay Hockey Romance Series Changing Queer TV". Teen Vogue. Archived from the original on January 2, 2026. Retrieved December 2, 2025.
  11. ^ 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. Archived from the original on December 1, 2025. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  12. ^ Sim, Bernardo. "Heated Rivalry: Hudson thought Connor would 'pin me down'". Out Magazine. Archived from the original on November 29, 2025. Retrieved December 2, 2025.
  13. ^ Coleman, Ryan. "'Heated Rivalry' creator doesn't see 'any reason' to confirm the sexuality of lead actors". EW.com. Archived from the original on December 9, 2025. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
  14. ^ 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. Archived from the original on December 2, 2025. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
  15. ^ Kurchak, Sarah (January 9, 2026). "Heated Rivalry Handles Autism With Love, Care, and a Touch of Awkwardness". Time. Retrieved February 24, 2026.
  16. ^ "Exclusive: 'Heated Rivalry' Is Steamy Sensation. Author Rachel Reid Hopes It Changes TV Romance for Good". today.com. December 7, 2025. Archived from the original on December 10, 2025. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
  17. ^ ProducerLiz (Liz Duff) (December 4, 2025). Heated Rivalry Author Reacts to Episode 1-2 | Late Night Scrolling Canadian Pop Culture Podcast. Archived from the original on December 6, 2025. Retrieved December 6, 2025 – via YouTube.
  18. ^ Colangelo, B. J. (December 5, 2025). "Canada's Heated Rivalry Destroys The Worst Trend Of American Streaming TV". SlashFilm. Archived from the original on December 5, 2025. Retrieved December 6, 2025.
  19. ^ "'Fan Questions for Hudson Williams," Langara College TikTok". December 6, 2025. Archived from the original on December 19, 2025. Retrieved December 6, 2025.
  20. ^ "What happens when your gay hockey smut becomes a global phenomenon?". The Washington Post. December 6, 2025. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
  21. ^ "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. Archived from the original on December 10, 2025. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
  22. ^ Gheciu, Alex Nino (March 25, 2026). "'North of North' and '40 Acres' lead Canadian Screen Awards nominations". Pique Newsmagazine. Toronto. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  23. ^ a b c d e Tinoco, Armando (December 17, 2025). "'Heated Rivalry's Hudson Williams Signs With CAA". Deadline. Archived from the original on December 17, 2025. Retrieved December 18, 2025.
  24. ^ Longeretta, Emily (December 29, 2025). "'Heated Rivalry' Stars Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams to Narrate Erotic Romantasy Series for Quinn: Exclusive Photos". Variety. Archived from the original on December 29, 2025. Retrieved December 29, 2025.
  25. ^ a b c "Exclusive: Hudson Williams & Connor Storrie Are Rival Fae Princes Quinn's New Romantasy Audio, 'Ember & Ice'". Cosmopolitan. December 29, 2025. Archived from the original on December 29, 2025. Retrieved December 29, 2025.
  26. ^ Sobrevilla, Savannah (January 16, 2026). "Hudson Williams Just Made His Milan Fashion Week Debut". GQ. Retrieved January 16, 2026.
  27. ^ Malkin, Mark (January 25, 2026). "Heated Rivalry Stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie Carry Olympic Torch in Italy". Variety. Retrieved January 25, 2026.
  28. ^ Petz, Sarah (January 29, 2026). "Prime minister meets Heated Rivalry stars, pays tribute to hit show 'that could only be made in Canada'". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Ottawa. Retrieved January 29, 2026.
  29. ^ Brookins, Laurie (March 19, 2026). "Chanel Tops the Oscars Red Carpet Power Rankings, Thanks to Teyana Taylor, Jessie Buckley and Nicole Kidman". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 21, 2026.
  30. ^ a b Goldbart, Max (February 18, 2026). "'Heated Rivalry' Star Hudson Williams Re-teams With Crave For Baba Yaga Drama". Deadline. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
  31. ^ a b Grobar, Matt (March 27, 2026). "Dylan O'Brien & Hudson Williams Set For Sofia Banzhaf Thriller 'Apparatus'". Deadline. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  32. ^ a b Grobar, Matt (April 27, 2026). "Paapa Essiedu, Hudson Williams, Omar Apollo & Nara Smith Join Amazon MGM Thriller 'Tyrant'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
  33. ^ Fell, Nicole (April 13, 2026). "How Laufey's Star-Studded "Madwoman" Music Video Came to Life With Hudson Williams, Lola Tung". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
  34. ^ Lambe, Stacy (April 14, 2026). "Hudson Williams Flashes Abs in New Peloton Ad". People.com. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  35. ^ "Peloton Taps Hudson Williams For New Creative Campaign". onepeloton.com. April 14, 2026. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  36. ^ Evans, Olivia (March 16, 2026). "Heated Rivalry's Hudson Williams Makes Red Carpet Debut With Girlfriend at Vanity Fair Oscars Party". E! News. Retrieved March 16, 2026.
  37. ^ Fell, Nicole (December 16, 2025). "Hudson Williams Always Believed in 'Heated Rivalry' — But Never Expected All This". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  38. ^ Rapkin, Mickey (December 23, 2025). "The Naked Ambition of the Heated Rivalry Boys". GQ Magazine. Retrieved March 21, 2026.
  39. ^ Lee, Michelle (December 10, 2025). "Heated Rivalry Stars Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams Dish Where They Got Their Matching 'Sex Sells' Tattoos". People. Retrieved March 21, 2026.
  40. ^ a b "'Heated Rivalry' Stars Tell Fans to 'GTFOH' If They Can't Be Kind on Social Media". Rolling Stone Australia. March 10, 2026. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  41. ^ @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.
  42. ^ a b "Hudson Williams Was on 'Tracker' Before Playing Shane Hollander on HBO's Steamy 'Heated Rivalry': What to Know". Yahoo Entertainment. December 3, 2025. Archived from the original on December 31, 2025. Retrieved January 2, 2026.
  43. ^ Whittock, Jesse (June 5, 2025). "Bell Upfront: Elliot Page-Produced Comedy, Tom Green And Jared Keeso Shows & U.S. Acquisitions Set For Crave; Slate Also Includes First Co-Order With Versant's USA Network". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 13, 2026. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  44. ^ Heching, Dan; Rosenbloom, Alli (February 28, 2026). "Connor Storrie survives his big 'SNL' test". CNN. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  45. ^ Cordero, Rosy (March 17, 2026). "Heated Rivalry's Hudson Williams & Jennifer Grey Among 6 Cast In Netflix's Sam Bankman-Fried Limited Series". Deadline. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
  46. ^ Damshenas, Sam (January 7, 2026). "Heated Rivalry's Hudson Williams channels Nosferatu in horror music video". Gay Times. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  47. ^ "Laufey brings Hudson Williams, Megan Skiendiel, and more Wasians in 'The Madwoman' MV". GMA News Online. April 10, 2026.
  48. ^ "Vancouver Badass Film Festival (2024) – IMDb". IMDb. Retrieved April 20, 2026.
  49. ^ "Winners 2026". Hollywood ShortsFest. 2026. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  50. ^ "ACTRA Toronto announces 24th ACTRA Awards in Toronto nominees, and Stunt Award and Lifetime membership recipients". ACTRA Award. April 16, 2026. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
  51. ^ Weaver, Jackson (March 25, 2026). "North of North, Heated Rivalry, 40 Acres lead Canadian Screen Award nominees". CBC News. Retrieved April 20, 2026.
  52. ^ "2026 Canadian Screen Awards Nominees". Academy.ca. Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Archived from the original on March 25, 2026. Retrieved March 25, 2026.