'Heated Rivalry' stars thrust into the spotlight. Meet Connor Storrie and Hudson Wiliams.

People can't stop talking about "Heated Rivalry." From smut readers to hockey lovers to Pedro Pascal, everyone seems to be a fan.

Based on Rachel Reid's ongoing "Game Changers" book series, "Heated Rivalry" made its HBO Max debut around Christmas. Frontrunners Connor Storrie (Ilya Rozanov) and Hudson Williams (Shane Hollander) may be new to Hollywood but the industry is keeping them busy, from a lengthy press tour, late night talk show appearances and most recently, presentation at the Golden Globes.

"Honestly, we are working so much that I kind of just have to take it one day at a time. I mean, it's like I wake up, get ready, go somewhere, meet cool people and I look around and I'm like, 'I've seen this for so long on TV, it's so crazy to be here,'" Storrie said during a Today Show interview on Jan. 14.

Storrie and Williams haven't been shy about their backgrounds, which up until "Heated Rivalry" consisted largely of waiting tables and grabbing roles in short films where available. Many of their co-stars have similar backgrounds, starring in smaller, one-off roles ahead of the "Heated Rivalry" success.

Haven't watched the series or just want to know every single detail you can about the talented cast? Here's what to know about the "Heated Rivalry" stars.

Connor Storrie

Storrie, 25, plays Russian hockey star Ilya Rozanov in "Heated Rivalry." Rozanov is known for his cold and competitive exterior, which couldn't be farther from Storrie off-screen – soft and charismatic.

Raised in Odessa, Texas, not far from the New Mexico border, Storrie has said in countless interviews that acting has always been his dream. Perhaps one of the first times he got in front of the camera was for his now beloved YouTube channel, started in 2012. As of Jan. 14, only four videos remain on the channel, all with tens of thousands of views.

Despite being a Texas native, Storrie plays a convincing Russian role in the series, speaking with a Russian accent and in many scenes, speaking in Russian entirely. Storrie has shared in interviews that he spent just over a month and a half learning Russian for the role.

Though "Heated Rivalry" is Storrie's breakout role, many have already seen him on the big screen in the 2024 musical "Joker: Folie à Deux," starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga. Storrie plays a young inmate in the film who attacks and ultimately kills Arthur Fleck (Phoenix) in Arkham Asylum.

Other small roles he's played include Liam Hauser in the 2023 coming-of-age film "Riley" and Tom in the 2022 release "Headless Horseman."

Hudson Williams

In "Heated Rivalry," Williams, 24, plays sheepish Canadian hockey player Shane Hollander, who is highly successful but also visibly anxious about his romance with Rozanov.

Williams was raised in Kamloops, British Columbia, about 355 miles northeast of Vancouver. He graduated in 2020 from Langara College in Vancouver with a fine art's certificate, and over the past six years has juggled short film gigs with waiting tables, most recently, at The Old Spaghetti Factory. Several of the short films Williams has starred in, available to watch on YouTube, he also wrote and directed.

In recent years, Williams has also held small, single-episode roles in CBS' "Tracker" and CBC Television's "Allegiance."

François Arnaud

François Arnaud, 40, plays Scott Hunter in the series, a character from the first book in the "Game Changers" series (of the same name). He is featured largely in Episode 3 of "Heated Rivalry." Like Shane and Ilya, Hunter is a star hockey player from New York who, at the start of the book and series, is struggling a bit as an older player. However, after he meets and falls for a smoothie shop worker named Kip (Robbie Graham-Kuntz), his game starts to improve.

Viewers may recognize Arnaud, who hails from Montreal, from the hit television series, "Schitt's Creek," in which he played Sebastien Raine, David's (Dan Levy) photographer ex-boyfriend. He's also played the lead roles of Cesare Borgia in the series "The Borgias" and Manfred Bernardo in NBC's "Midnight, Texas" and as Paul in four episodes of "Yellowjackets."

Robbie Graham-Kuntz

Robbie Graham-Kuntz, 29, plays smoothie shop barista and history grad student Christopher "Kip" Grady in "Heated Rivalry." Kip, who also has a large presence in Episode 3 of the series, helps Hunter accept his sexuality.

From Toronto, Graham-Kuntz is the lead character, Tempo, in the 2020 Hulu series "Utopia Falls." He's also played smaller roles in shows like CBS' "Sheriff Country" and Prime Video's "Overcompensating."

Sophie Nelisse

In the series, 25-year-old Canadian actress Sophie Nelisse plays Rose Landry, a famous actress who Hollander dates for a short period of time. Landry is a supportive friend, one of the first Hollander comes out to.

Nelisse's breakout role was as Liesel Meminger in the 2013 book adaptation "Book Thief." She also plays the lead role of Teen Sauna in the Showtime series "Yellowjackets."

Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova

Rounding out the "Heated Rivalry" cast as one of the youngest members, 23-year-old Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova is a Toronto-based actress and model. She plays Svetlana Vetrova in the series – Ilya's long-time Russian friend who, up until his romance with Hollander, he had a sexual relationship with.

Kharlamova made an appearance in the first episode of Prime Video's "The Boys," was the lead in the single-season Global TV show "Robyn Hood" and played a few episodes as Jasmyn in The Roku Channel drama "Slip," per her IMDb.

Christina Chang

Playing Shane's uptight mom-manager, Yuna, in the series, Christina Chang, 54, appeared as Rebecca Nevins in "CSI: Miami," Dr. Audrey Lim in ABC's "The Good Doctor" and the small role of Taylor in the "Die Hard" sequel, "Live Free or Die Hard," per her IMDb.

Dylan Walsh

Alongside Chang, Dylan Walsh, 62, plays Shane's dad. The American actor is known for his roles as Dr. Sean McNamara in the FX series "Nip/Tuck," Dr. Peter Elliot in the 1995 film "Congo" and David Harris in the 2009 release "The Stepfather," per his IMDb.

Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at [email protected].