Ashhar Alam | New Delhi

Actors Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, who rose to prominence with the queer hockey drama Heated Rivalry, have been named torchbearers for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The publication said the announcement was made by HBO Max on Thursday. The Olympic Torch Relay, regarded as one of the most symbolic traditions of the Games, carries the Olympic flame across cities and countries ahead of the opening ceremony.

Williams and Storrie starred together in Heated Rivalry, which premiered on November 28 last year. The series features the duo as rival professional hockey players whose on-ice competition gradually evolves into a relationship over several years. The show is based on novels by author Rachel Reid and streams on Crave in Canada and HBO Max in the United States.

Both actors have been in the spotlight in recent months. Williams recently walked the runway at Milan Fashion Week for Dsquared2, while Storrie has made appearances on popular U.S. television programmes, including Late Night with Seth Meyers and Today, The Hollywood Reporter noted.

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Meanwhile, Heated Rivalry has been renewed for a second season, which HBO Max has confirmed will stream on its platform. Reid has also announced a new book titled Unrivaled, continuing the story of Shane and Ilya, the characters portrayed by Williams and Storrie.