Heated Rivalry Season 2 Adds Kevin Zegers, Milla Jovovich, and Paul Gross to Cast
- The second season of Crave and HBO’s queer ice hockey drama Heated Rivalry has expanded its cast with the additions of Kevin Zegers, Milla Jovovich, and Paul Gross.
- Kevin Zegers has been cast as Coach Brandon Wiebe, a former professional hockey player who takes over as the rookie head coach of the Ottawa Centaurs.
- Season 2 of Heated Rivalry will primarily adapt The Long Game, the sixth novel in Rachel Reid’s Game Changers series.
The second season of Crave and HBO’s queer ice hockey drama Heated Rivalry has expanded its cast with the additions of Kevin Zegers, Milla Jovovich, and Paul Gross. The series, which adapts Rachel Reid’s bestselling Game Changers novels, is scheduled to premiere its sophomore outing in April 2027.
New Cast Members and Roles Confirmed for Season 2
Kevin Zegers has been cast as Coach Brandon Wiebe, a former professional hockey player who takes over as the rookie head coach of the Ottawa Centaurs. Zegers is known for his previous television and film roles in Gossip Girl, Transamerica, The Rookie, and The Madison. Milla Jovovich joins the cast as Dr. Galina Molchalina, the therapist seen by the character Ilya. Jovovich, recognized for her work in The Fifth Element, the Resident Evil franchise, and Hellboy, steps into a role tied directly to the source material’s sixth book. Paul Gross rounds out the newly announced trio, taking on the role of Commissioner Roger Crowell, the commissioner of the fictional professional hockey league featured in the book series. Gross is well-known for his roles in Canadian and American television productions including Due South, Slings & Arrows, Republic of Doyle, and Eastwick.
Adapting The Long Game and Expanding the Ensemble
Season 2 of Heated Rivalry will primarily adapt The Long Game, the sixth novel in Rachel Reid’s Game Changers series. The storyline follows Shane Hollander, played by Hudson Williams, and Ilya, played by Connor Storrie, after a decade of secretly maintaining their relationship. While Ilya pushes to take their romance public, Shane fears the exposure could threaten their careers. Series creator Jacob Tierney confirmed that season 2 will also incorporate elements from book five, Role Model, alongside prior casting indications pointing toward book three, Tough Guy. The expansive supporting cast for the upcoming season includes Justice Smith, Charlie Gillespie, Daniel Diemer, Shaheen Jafargholi, Robert Naylor, Sophie Nélisse, Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova, Edvin Ryding, François Arnaud, Christina Chang, Dylan Walsh, Robbie G.K., Callan Potter, Benjamin Roy, Kamilla Kowal, Emily Hampshire, Sabrina Jalees, and Priyanka.
Production and International Distribution
Heated Rivalry is produced by Accent Aigu Entertainment in association with Bell Media-owned Crave, with the participation of the Canada Media Fund. Jacob Tierney serves as writer, director, and executive producer, working alongside executive producers Brendan Brady and Jayme Alter Wilson, and producers Lori Fischburg and Liane Cunje. Author Rachel Reid participates as a consulting producer, with Mike Goldbach co-writing the second season. International distribution is handled by Bell’s UK-based business Sphere Abacus, which initially shopped the series to platforms such as HBO Max in the United States, Europe, and Australia, and Sky in the United Kingdom.