Why Three Breakout Stars From 'Heated Rivalry' Declined Variety's Prestigious 'Actors on Actors' Series

Ramin Setoodeh, co-editor-in-chief and co-president of Variety, has opened up about a notable gap in this year's "Actors on Actors" lineup: the absence of three rising talents from the acclaimed series "Heated Rivalry."

In a column published Sunday (May 31), Setoodeh broke what he called his "cardinal rule" by discussing the behind-the-scenes dynamics of the annual feature. He explained that Connor Storrie, Hudson Williams, and François Arnaud—all breakout stars from the groundbreaking gay hockey drama—turned down the opportunity to participate.

"I invited all three of the breakout actors from the groundbreaking series about gay hockey players to participate: the extraordinary Connor Storrie, the charming Hudson Williams and the magnetic François Arnaud," Setoodeh wrote, praising their performances and rising profiles.

However, there was a significant obstacle. "Heated Rivalry isn't eligible for this year's Emmys due to a rule technicality," Setoodeh explained. Produced by Bell Media's Crave, a Canadian streaming platform that airs on HBO Max in the United States, the show and its stars were not submitted for Emmy consideration. As a result, the actors were not actively campaigning for nominations.

Setoodeh noted that while "Actors on Actors" isn't exclusively centered on award campaigns, the feature's publication timing during the early stages of Emmy Phase One voting makes it an effective tool for building momentum toward nominations. He speculated that the actors may have been hesitant to participate in what could be perceived as a campaign event for an award they were ineligible to win.

Despite the Emmy setback, Setoodeh expressed strong conviction about the show's quality and cultural impact. "It's a genuine hit — not just among its core audience, but among casual TV viewers who swooned for its steamy romance and its carefully wrought character development," he wrote, suggesting the Emmys would feel incomplete without acknowledging the series due to its eligibility restrictions.

"I can only imagine the long line of veteran actors who would have agreed to sit across from three of Hollywood's most exciting new stars," Setoodeh added.

The timing proved particularly unfortunate given the show's recent success elsewhere. At the 2026 Canadian Screen Awards, presented by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, "Heated Rivalry" swept every category for which it was nominated.