Jack Innanen Turns Down 'Heated Rivalry' Season 2 Role Due to Scheduling Conflicts

The 27-year-old Canadian actor and comedian has passed on the opportunity to join the second season of the Crave gay hockey series, despite receiving an offer for a starring role.

Jack Innanen's involvement with the show has been the subject of speculation for months. Two months prior, the actor indicated he was in "conversations" regarding a potential cast position on the renewal. Fans had been enthusiastically campaigning for him to take on either the Wyatt Hayes or Troy Barrett character.

However, production scheduling has made his participation impossible. Innanen is currently committed to FX's Adults and Netflix's Big Mistakes, obligations that conflict with the filming timeline for season two.

Season two production is slated to kick off in August, with the new episodes arriving in April 2027.

The series, adapted from Rachel Reid's novel of the same name, first premiered across Crave and HBO Max in November 2025. The show's renewal was officially confirmed by stars Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams in the weeks following its debut. The first season proved popular with audiences, setting the stage for the expanded second season that will now move forward with its casting process.