Before Hudson Williams became a global superstar for playing Shane Hollander in the smash hit Heated Riavalry, he was making short films with his friends. Now, those friends are opening up about the actor, his rise to fame, and his willingness to commit to his craft. And they’re doing it through stories that involve sucking fingers, reactions to watching his incredibly popular and “horny” HBO show, and pickleball.
For a long time, Williams was waiting tables in Vancouver and making short films with his friends from Langara College. Now, one of those pals, Zack Fonzovs, has spoken to USA Today about his friendship with the Heated Rivalry star, and he specifically recalled them working on a short film together. Explaining that he had asked the actor to “bite off” someone’s “finger” for the scene they were working on, Fonzovs said:
I said to him, 'You're going to bite off her finger and suck it like it's the blood of Christ.' It's a very profane moment, and he (Williams) just looked at me like he was ready to bite her finger right then and there. After that, I was like, 'Oh my god. He's so passionate.' I could just tell by how willing he was and how hungry he was.
I’d imagine that an ask like that would not garner an immediate “yes” from everyone. However, it’s obvious here that Hudson Williams was down to do it for his friend and their film. It shows his commitment to the craft and his willingness to do what needs to be done for a scene.
Both those things are on full display in Heated Rivalry (which you can stream with an HBO Max subscription), too. The smutty queer hockey show does not shy away from sex in the slightest, and as we move into Season 2 of the book-to-screen adaptation, that spicy precedent will more than likely be held. One of the reasons why the show works so well is that Williams and his co-lead, Connor Storrie, act out every moment they’re in, including the sexy ones, with pure passion and commitment.
To the young actor’s friends, his commitment to his role in Heated Rivalry came as no surprise. When they saw him in those intimate scenes in the sexually explicit HBO project, it didn’t take them aback, because he’s always fearlessly committed to the project he’s working on. In the words of his friend Mark Masterton:
When you see Hudson in 'Heated Rivalry,' he's a shy, reserved character in Shane, and a lot of people are seeing him steamy with his clothes off, but it comes as no surprise at all to me ... because literally every film project I've worked with him, he's been semi-naked.
Hudson Williams’ friends made it clear that he’s not afraid to take off his clothes or do something wild for a film. So, seeing him thrive in a show like Heated Rivalry makes a lot of sense.
Now, as the actor navigates intense fame, his pals are cheering him on. However, they’re also trying to help him maintain a sense of normalcy, as Masterton said:
Just a few weeks ago, we were out playing pickleball, getting our a---- handed to us by these middle-aged men and nobody had a clue who they were dealing with. I'm obviously cheering him on from afar and letting him know how proud we are, but I'm arranging the next pickleball day, because we need to get our reputation back on.
That’s a good friend right there! The story also notes that Williams’ pals watched the first few episodes with him when they came out. Now, I can’t wait to see how they continue to support him as we move into Season 2 of Heated Rivalry.
The show was quickly renewed amid its rise in popularity, and now fans are eagerly waiting for Shane and Ilya’s next story. Meanwhile, Hudson Williams’ star is continuing to rise, and his friends are continuing to both support him and make fun and wild projects together.
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