Hudson Williams is finding it difficult to escape the hockey rink, even when he is the one writing the script. The actor became a breakout star playing Shane Hollander in Heated Rivalry, the steamy sports romance that turned professional hockey into a battleground for love, ambition, and plenty of yearning. 

For an actor whose career has been propelled by one particularly memorable hockey jersey, returning to the sport might seem like a natural move. However, Williams is discovering that audiences are not the only ones who can get caught up in the parallels between projects.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly while promoting his new series Yaga, Hudson Williams revealed that he is currently writing a movie featuring a character who used to play hockey. And the only problem is that the premise might feel too close to his role in Heated Rivalry.

“We were like, ‘But if we have this hockey player and then you’ve done a hockey show…’ We’re getting tripped up on it and we’re considering other sports,” Williams explained, he said.

Despite considering alternatives, the belief is simple: hockey makes the most sense for the character, as he shared with Entertainment Weekly. He compared the creative struggle to breaking through “the prison of your own mind,” suggesting that sometimes an idea simply works, even when its similarities to previous work become difficult to ignore.

Williams did not reveal further details about the film, and there is no confirmed release date or announced cast. Still, the situation offers an amusing glimpse into life after a breakout role: when your fictional hockey career becomes a sensation, even your next screenplay can feel like an unexpected rematch.

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And speaking of rematches, Williams is not done skating into viewers’ lives as Shane Hollander just yet.

Heated Rivalry is officially returning for a second season, with production beginning in August 2026. The new installment is expected to arrive in spring 2027 on HBO Max, with creator Jacob Tierney continuing the story inspired by Rachel Reid’s Game Changers novels.

Season 2 is expected to draw from The Long Game, following Shane and Ilya Rozanov as they navigate their relationship while confronting the challenges of being professional athletes. New cast members include Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie, who will bring another couple from Reid’s book series into the show’s expanding world.

Meanwhile, the franchise is continuing to find new ways to reach its devoted audience with a theatrical release that has thrilled fans with so much excitement, making the popularity extend beyond the small screen.

For Williams, the challenge now is balancing the hockey story that made him famous with the creative projects he wants to pursue next. If his new screenplay is any indication, he may not be ready to leave the rink behind just yet.

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What do you think about Hudson Williams' playing an ex-hockey character? Let us know in the comments below.