In just a few short episodes Heated Rivalry has become another HBO show that got the world talking. The steamy book to screen adaptation went viral for its many sex scenes, as well as the story about queer Hockey players having a secret, years-long affair. The first openly gay hockey player Brock McGillis shared his hot takes about the series, including why he doesn't think it'll encourage more athletes in the sport to come out of the closet.
I'm glad Heated Rivalry gave LGBTQ+ folks their own smutty TV show, and the show regularly makes headlines thanks to all those love scenes. While former hockey pro Sean Avery hoped the show would help closeted hockey players, McGillis doesn't agree. In an interview with Pink News, he shared his honest thoughts, saying:
It’s probably more likely to have an adverse effect on a player coming out. And I hate to be negative because I really enjoy the show. But I also don’t believe that many hockey bros are going to watch it. And I don’t think, if they are watching it, they’re talking about it positively.
That was certainly honest. It sounds like he thinks the Hockey community might not be happy with how things are presented in Heated Rivalry. What's more, McGillis seems to think it might actually discourage players from being their authentic self while playing the sport... especially if the community watches and dislikes its portrayal on the small screen.
Brooke McGillis will likely be pleased that Heated Rivalry was renewed for Season 2, even if he doesn't think the HBO series will make positive change within the industry. He understands the series all too well, especially because a former Hockey player and a Canadian native. Later in the same interview, he continued to share his hot take, offering:
Nobody’s like, ‘Oh, yeah. This came out and now I’m ready [to come out].’ It’s not happening.
For years now there's been discussion about the power of LGBTQ+ representation in the media. And while audiences might feel seen from Heated Rivalry, McGillis doubts that we'll see more hockey players coming out anytime soon. He maintains that places like the locker room are "sometimes homophobic" which will likely keep folks from coming out.
Still, Brock McGillis is a fan of the show himself, and has been moved by it. Particularly thanks to the similarities between his own coming out story and the secret relationship between protagonists Shane and Ilya. As he shared:
Episode one gave me a panic attack. I was scared. I dated a guy for three years, not a soul in my life knowing. We had an alias for [me in his phone] in case [his friends] ever saw.
Ouch. Clearly there was accuracy in the way these characters' secret affair has been portrayed throughout the show so far. McGillis has gone through something similar, including having a guy in his phone with a pseudonym just in case. Luckily he was able to eventually come out and live as his authentic self.
Heated Rivalry airs new episodes Fridays on HBO Max as pat of the 2025 TV schedule. We'll just have to see if McGillis' comments about hockey players not coming out turns out to be true.
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