“Heated Rivalry” star Robbie G.K. is speaking out about the show’s possible impact on professional hockey.
“I certainly hope so,” he told me Wednesday at “The Pitt” Season 2 premiere in Los Angeles. “I think that big organizations like that, sports organizations, we’ve seen things in the past, specifically in the NFL, where there’s been these types of movements or things that are trying to create change, and I hope as much as [the NHL is] using this as leverage and from a marketing standpoint, they’re also taking internal notes and changing the atmosphere in change rooms and from an organizational standpoint.” (Watch the full interview in the video above.)
“Heated Rivalry,” a show produced by Canadian streamer Crave and available in the U.S. on HBO Max, stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie as two pro hockey players who fall in love while having a secret 10-year affair. G.K. plays Kip, a juice bar barista who dates hockey player Scott Hunter, played by François Arnaud.
In the third episode of the series, Scott comes out of the closet by kissing Kip in the rink after his team has just won the Stanley Cup.
G.K. says teams have invited him to their games: “The Vancouver Canucks reached out to me, which me and my roommates were losing our minds because we were talking about trying to get tickets. I think the New Jersey Devils reached out to me. It’s just insane, but I’m super stoked.”
“Heated Rivalry” is based on Game Changer, Rachel Reid’s series of queer hockey romance novels. While storylines for Season 2 have yet to be revealed by series creator Jacob Tierney, Reid told me last month that she hopes Scott and Kip will be featured more because of the couple’s popularity among the show’s fans.
“I saw an interview with Jacob when he was talking about writing Season 2, and he said he’s going to turn his phone off, throw it away, because I’m sure everybody and their grandma has an opinion as to what should be in Season 2,” G.K. said.” I’m just sitting around. My fingers are crossed but I appreciate having Rachel in my corner because that’s exciting. I would love to be on it more.”
G.K. was also happy to see that Miley Cyrus is up for contributing music in Season 2. “I was absolutely a ‘Hannah Montana’ fan,” he said, adding, “That’s what I grew up on. That’s the reason I got into acting and musical theater in the first place. To see something like that is surreal. I hope at some point to meet you in person, Miley.”
“Heated Rivalry” became an overnight hit shortly after the first two of its six episodes dropped on HBO Max over Thanksgiving weekend. G.K. said he’s being recognized more when he’s out in public. A flight attendant complimented him on the show during his flight from his hometown of Vancouver to Los Angeles. Also, at the airport, a fan handed him a “lovely letter that was very heartwarming.”
