The drama, about a secret romance between Major League Hockey players, will premiere in spring 2027.
Swedish actor GP has joined the cast of Heated Rivalry, the HBO Max series adapting Rachel Reid’s “Game Changers” book series. Ryding will play Luca Haas, a character from the sequel novel “The Long Game,” which the second season is based on. The show, which had its Swedish premiere in January, follows the evolving relationship between Major League Hockey players Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, described as a multi-year journey of love, denial, and self-discovery.
Cast and Production Details
Ryding’s role as Luca Haas was confirmed by multiple outlets, including Expressen and GP, which noted the series’ second season is already in production. Filming began in Canada, with Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie set to reprise their roles as the titular hockey stars. The season will be directed by Jacob Tierney, who is also the head writer, and is scheduled for a spring 2027 release. The production team includes Mike Goldbach as a co-writer, according to Expressen.
The series, which has become a significant LGBTQ+ streaming phenomenon, previously aired on Crave and HBO Max.
Additional cast members for the second season include Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie, who will play Harris Drover and Troy Barrett, respectively. The ensemble also features Emily Hampshire, Robert Naylor, Sabrina Jalees, and Priyanka, as reported by Expressen.
Source Material and Storyline
Expressen provided additional context about the show’s structure, noting that it covers Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, two of the most successful hockey players in the Major League Hockey. What starts as a secret romance later develops into what is described as a multi-year journey of love, denial, and self-discovery.
The second season, which is based on the sequel novel The Long Game
, will follow the characters’ continued development, according to Source 3.
Ryding’s Career Trajectory
Ryding’s casting in “Heated Rivalry” marks another international step in his career. The 23-year-old actor rose to prominence as prins Wilhelm in Netflix-succén “Young Royals”. His role in “Heated Rivalry” follows appearances in films like “28 years later” and The Hunger games: sunrise on the reaping, as reported by Expressen.
Ryding’s previous work in Swedish productions, including “Gåsmamman,” has positioned him as a versatile actor capable of handling both domestic and international roles.
Implications for the Series
Keep reading
