'Heated Rivalry' stars turn Golden Globes carpet red hot

These two rising stars are really "heating" up the Golden Globes red carpet.

Young actors Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, the stars of HBO Max's "Heated Rivalry" (streaming on HBO Max), hit the 2026 Golden Globes red carpet, much to the delight of fans of their red-hot romantic drama. The Canadian import series features Williams and Storrie as star-crossed lovers, rivals from two different professional hockey teams repeatedly drawn together over years of love and lust.

The series, which features frequent explicit sex scenes, has been making quite a stir since it debuted on Nov. 28. Its six-episode first season had the kind of nudity that would make even the streaming home of "Game of Thrones" and "True Blood" blush.

'Heated Rivalry' stars hit Golden Globes red carpet

"Rivalry" has become a viral, full-blown phenomenon: with installments making IMDb's highest rated episodes of all time, the show also landed on the Christmas week cover of The Hollywood Reporter, all about the show's rabid female fans.

The show has catapulted Williams and Storrie into overnight stardom, which has come with invites to one of the biggest award shows of the season.

Williams walked the carpet in a white tuxedo jacket and open collar while Storrie opted for a classic black jacket, long tie and dark shades.

'Heated Rivalry' stars Connor Storrie, Hudson Williams present at Golden Globes

The pair went on to present the award for best supporting actress in a TV show, flanked by UFC fighters for "protection" from their hoards of fans. The first-time presenters poked fun at their newfound fame and the audience for "Rivalry."

"It's a little nerve-wracking here, being at our first Golden Globes," Storrie said nervously to start their presenter bit.

"Just take a deep breath and picture everyone in the audience … you know," Williams suggested, referencing the aphorism to conquer stage fright by picturing the audience naked.

"I don't really know if that works since everyone's seen us … you know," Storrie said, and when Williams asked if he thought everyone in the audience had seen "Rivalry," Storrie replied, "That's a maybe, but their trainers have and their moms have and their daughters have."

"Hi moms!" Williams said. "Hi daughters!" Storrie added.

'Heated Rivalry' show becomes viral hit

"Rivalry" is based on a book series by Rachel Reid called "Game Changers" and dubbed "A Spicy Gay Hockey Romance."

The series follows Shane Hollander (Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Storrie), two of the best hockey players of their generation, over a yearslong love story. They meet in competition and then are drawn together and apart as they join rival professional hockey teams and face off on the ice – and in the bedroom. Both also struggle with the demands of their families, their identities as gay men in the closet and athletes in the public eye, and how vulnerable they can be with each other.

"We're both pretty tactile people in terms of love languages and how you express yourself," Storrie told entertainment site Swooon. "We both like physical touch, whether it’s with friends, family, partners. When these characters are feeling good towards each other, I think we knew consciously to allow that to come out. The fun of that ends up being what it looks like [for Shane and Ilya], and how it is different from us, personally. That's an impulse that is kind of naturally within us. We also became super close, super quick, so that makes it even easier, too."

"Sometimes, a rough sex scene might be easier than just a conversational scene where you want to kind of touch a leg or touch a shoulder," Williams added. "It can feel like a 10-mile drive to brush a cheek. But we had such a good relationship that I was able to express myself in that way through Shane and with Connor. That was really lovely."

Is 'Heated Rivalry' nominated for any Golden Globes?

No. Fans hoping that Storrie and Williams might return to the stage to bring home a trophy will be disappointed to know that the show is not up for any categories at the 2026 Globes.