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Hudson Williams

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hudson Williams
Williams in 2025
Born (2001-02-13) February 13, 2001 (age 25)
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
OccupationActor
Years active2020–present
Known forHeated Rivalry

Hudson Williams (born February 13, 2001) is a Canadian actor. He rose to prominence for his breakout role as Shane Hollander in the Crave original television series Heated Rivalry (2025–present), for which he won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Leading Performance in a Drama Series.[1] He will appear in the upcoming Crave series Yaga, the Netflix limited series The Altruists, and the films Apparatus and Tyrant.[2][3][4][5]

Early life and education

Williams was born on February 13, 2001, in Kelowna, British Columbia, and moved as a young child to Kamloops, British Columbia, where he was raised.[6][7][8] His mother, an interior designer, is Korean, and his father, a mechanical engineer, is of British and Dutch descent.[9][10]

Williams began his schooling at a French immersion kindergarten before transferring, at his mother's suggestion, to Beattie School of the Arts, where he studied dance, music and theatre.[6] He later graduated from Sa-Hali Secondary School in Kamloops, where he played on the basketball team and trained in mixed martial arts.[11][12] He renewed his focus on acting in grade 11, and has said that taking acting classes in Vancouver persuaded him that acting could become a viable profession.[6]

In 2020, Williams moved to Vancouver to attend Langara College, where he earned an acting certificate from the Film Arts program that same year.[12][13] After graduating, he began writing and directing short films and attending acting auditions while working as a restaurant server in New Westminster.[14][15] His first short film as writer and director was Snow Angel.[12]

Career

Early work (2020–2024)

Williams built his early career through self-produced short films made with a recurring group of Vancouver-based collaborators and the films attracted significant rise in viewership following his rise to fame.[13] He received the Best Ensemble award at the 2024 Vancouver Badass Film Festival for the short film Devil Makes Three, and won Best First-Time Director at the 2026 Hollywood ShortsFest for his short film Rancid.[16][17]

His early screen credits include the episode "IRL" of the CBC drama Allegiance (2024), the television films Nobody Dumps My Daughter and All I Need for Christmas, and the episode "The Disciple" of the CBS series Tracker (2025).[10][18]

Heated Rivalry and breakthrough (2025–present)

In 2025, Williams was cast as Shane Hollander in the sports romance television series Heated Rivalry, created and directed by Jacob Tierney and based on the Game Changers novel series by Rachel Reid.[19][20] His audition process included a self-tape, a callback with Tierney, and three chemistry reads; his chemistry with co-lead Connor Storrie was an important factor in Tierney's casting decision.[12][21][22][23] Williams has said that his mother had previously voiced concern that he would have trouble getting acting roles as an Asian Canadian, his mixed heritage proved to be a crucial feature for his casting as Shane Hollander.[12] Williams modeled aspects of the character on athletes such as Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Kobe Bryant and Tom Brady.[12]

Heated Rivalry premiered on Crave on November 28, 2025, and became a global success after HBO Max began streaming it in the United States.[24][25] Williams received praise for the subtlety of his acting and his ability to convey Hollander's inner thoughts, as well as his nuanced and non-stereotypical portrayal of an autistic character.[26] Reid commented that Williams fully embodied the role, praising the expressiveness of his face.[27] /Film singled out Williams and Storrie for their microexpression work, and the chemistry between the two leads has received extensive praise, with Kaiya Shunyata for RogerEbert.com writing that "Williams and Storrie share a chemistry so intense it rivals Bogart & Bacall."[28][29][30] The series was renewed for a second season in December 2025 with Season 2 expected to release in April 2027.[14]

Williams won Best Leading Performance in a Drama Series at the 2026 Canadian Screen Awards for his performance in Heated Rivalry on May 31, 2026, becoming the youngest performer to win the award at 25.[31][32][1]

In December 2025, Williams signed with Creative Artists Agency for representation.[33] That same month, he and Storrie starred in Ember & Ice, a three-episode romance fantasy audio series where Williams voiced the character Prince Finn Lunare. The episodes were released on the mobile audio platform Quinn between December 30, 2025 to January 5, 2026.[34][35]

On February 28, 2026, Williams had a cameo in a Saturday Night Live episode hosted by Storrie.[36] He has starred in two music videos: as Count Orlok in Love Lucille's "Lights On" and then as the featured heartthrob character in Laufey's Madwoman video, alongside other prominent mixed Asian stars Alysa Liu, Lola Tung, and Megan Skiendiel.[37][38]

Upcoming projects

In February 2026, Williams was cast as Henry Park in Yaga, a Crave mystery thriller series based on the play by Kat Sandler, starring alongside Carrie-Anne Moss, Noah Reid and Clark Backo.[2] In April 2026, AMC+ acquired the exclusive United States streaming rights to the series and it is scheduled to premiere later in 2026.[39]

In March 2026, Netflix announced that Williams would appear in a recurring role as Duncan Rheingans-Yoo in The Altruists, a limited series about the collapse of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX, starring Julia Garner and Anthony Boyle.[3][40] That same month, he was cast in a leading role opposite Dylan O'Brien in the feature film Apparatus, directed by Sofia Banzhaf,[4] and in April 2026 he joined an ensemble cast including Charlize Theron, Julia Garner, and Demi Moore in the culinary thriller film Tyrant, directed by David Weil.[5]

Alongside acting, Williams continues to write and direct. In a January 2026 interview Williams shared his aspiration to make his feature film directorial debut based on his own script in the next five years.[6][13]

Influences

Williams has named Heath Ledger as his all-time favourite actor and has also mentioned Michelle Williams, Mark Rylance, Marlon Brando and Parker Posey among the performers who have influenced him. Among filmmakers, he has cited Alfred Hitchcock, Billy Wilder, Ingmar Bergman and Stanley Kubrick as favourites.[41] He has spoken of his longtime love of queer cinema, naming Moonlight and Brokeback Mountain among his favourite films, and has cited Rooney Mara in Carol and Trevante Rhodes in Moonlight as inspirations for his portrayal of Shane Hollander.[9][42]

Public image and brand partnerships

Following the release of Heated Rivalry, Williams experienced a rapid rise to fame. At the Golden Globe Awards in January 2026, he announced a donation to BC Children's Hospital.[8] On January 16, 2026, he made his runway debut opening Dsquared²'s show at Milan Fashion Week,[43] and on January 25, 2026, he and Storrie participated in the 2026 Winter Olympics torch relay in Feltre, Italy.[44] That same month, Williams met Canadian prime minister Mark Carney at an event promoting the Canadian film and television industry in Ottawa.[45] He attended the 98th Academy Awards and the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party in March 2026, where his appearances generated a combined media impact value of $6.16 million for designer brands Balenciaga and Bulgari.[46]

Williams at the 2026 Met Gala

Williams was named a "Friend of the House" for fashion brand, Balenciaga, in February 2026, appearing in the brand's "Heart and Body" campaign and attending its fashion week shows.[47][48] In April 2026, he became the first non-athlete to star in a campaign for Peloton Interactive.[49][50] Williams' Peloton campaign video drew massive engagement, amassing over 5 million views on YouTube within the first six days of its release.[51] Williams attended his first Met Gala in May 2026 as a guest at the Instagram table in a custom matador-inspired look designed by Balenciaga creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli and eye makeup inspired by one of his favorite films Black Swan.[52][53] That same month, Williams was also named a "Friend of the House" for jewelry brand Bulgari and appeared in the brand's "Gold & Steel" campaign.[54]

In August 2026, Williams was announced as a brand ambassador for Korean skincare brand SKIN1004.[55] Williams had previously featured his usage of the brand's products in a YouTube video detailing his skincare routine for The Cut that went viral.[56]

Williams' influence on brands (even without official partnerships) has drawn widespread attention such as the viral demand surge for a $2 Canadian Tire tote bag after Williams was photographed carrying one in August 2026 in Toronto.[57]

Williams has spoken publicly about the challenges of navigating his sudden rise to global fame, including privacy intrusions from paparazzi and unsolicited photography.[58][6] In March 2026, Williams and Heated Rivalry co-star François Arnaud issued a joint statement condemning bigoted and parasocial behaviour among portions of the show's fanbase.[59]

Personal life

In a February 2026 Instagram story, Williams shared that he is in a long-term relationship with Vancouver-based tattoo artist, Katelyn Larson.[60] The couple made their first public appearance at the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party in March 2026.[60] In interviews, he has shared that he has ADHD.[14]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
2026EncoreDrifterPost-production
TBAApparatusTylerFilming[4]
TBATyrantFilming[5]

Television

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
2024AllegianceJuniorEpisode: "IRL"[10]
Nobody Dumps My DaughterSeanTelevision film
All I Need for ChristmasTJTelevision film
2025TrackerBrandon StokesEpisode: "The Disciple"[18]
2025–presentHeated RivalryShane HollanderMain role; 6 episodes[20]
2026Saturday Night LiveHimselfEpisode: "Connor Storrie / Mumford & Sons"[36]
YagaHenry ParkMain role[2]
TBAThe AltruistsDuncan Rheingans-YooLimited series; recurring role[3]

Audio

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
2025–2026Ember and IcePrince Finn Lunare3 episodes[34][35]

Music videos

YearTitleArtistRoleRef.
2026"Lights On"Love LucilleCount Orlok[37]
"Madwoman"LaufeyThe Man[38]

Awards and nominations

Awards and nominations received by Hudson Williams
Award Year[a] Category Nominated Work Result Ref.
Vancouver Badass Film Festival 2024 Best Ensemble Devil Makes Three Won [16]
ACTRA Award 2026 Members' Choice Series Ensemble Heated Rivalry Won [61]
Canadian Screen Awards 2026 Best Lead Performer, Drama Won [1][31]
Dorian Awards 2026 Best TV Performance — Drama Pending [62]
Hollywood ShortsFest 2026 Best First-Time Director[b] Rancid Won [17]
Kelowna Independent Film Festival 2026 Best Director[b] Nominated [63][64]
Best Okanagan Film Won
Best Performance Nominated
Television Critics Association Awards 2026 Individual Achievement in Drama Heated Rivalry Pending [65]
  1. ↑ The listed year refers to the date of the ceremony, not necessarily the year in which the work was released/premiered.
  2. 1 2 Shared with co-director Alex Vance

References

  1. 1 2 3 McLean, Kayla (May 31, 2026). "Heated Rivalry dominates 2026 Canadian Screen Awards". CBC News. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 Goldbart, Max (February 18, 2026). "'Heated Rivalry' Star Hudson Williams Re-teams With Crave For Baba Yaga Drama". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 Cordero, Rosy (March 17, 2026). "Heated Rivalry's Hudson Williams & Jennifer Grey Among 6 Cast In Netflix's Sam Bankman-Fried Limited Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 Grobar, Matt (March 27, 2026). "Dylan O'Brien & Hudson Williams Set For Sofia Banzhaf Thriller 'Apparatus'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 Grobar, Matt (April 27, 2026). "Paapa Essiedu, Hudson Williams, Omar Apollo & Nara Smith Join Amazon MGM Thriller 'Tyrant'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Katz, Evan Ross (host); Williams, Hudson (guest) (January 20, 2026). Hudson Williams Part 1 (Full Episode) (Podcast). Shut Up Evan. Event occurs at 33:19. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  7. ↑ Randoja, Ingrid (November 20, 2025). "They Shoot, They Score". Canada Media Fund. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  8. 1 2 Gee, Dana (January 12, 2026). "Heated Rivalry star Hudson Williams donates money to B.C. Children's Hospital at Golden Globes". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  9. 1 2 Rapkin, Mickey (December 23, 2025). "The Naked Ambition of the Heated Rivalry Boys". GQ. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  10. 1 2 3 McGowan, Elisabeth (December 1, 2025). "Who Is Hudson Williams? 5 Things to Know About the 'Heated Rivalry' Star". Hollywood Life. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  11. ↑ The Cast of 'Heated Rivalry' Plays "Most Likely To" | Connor Storrie & Hudson Williams. MuchMusic. November 28, 2025. Retrieved July 25, 2026 – via YouTube.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 The Permanent Rain Press Interview with Hudson Williams | Heated Rivalry – Shane Hollander. The Permanent Rain Press. November 29, 2025. Event occurs at 14:47. Retrieved July 25, 2026 – via YouTube.
  13. 1 2 3 Cross, Greta (February 4, 2026). "Hudson Williams' life before 'Heated Rivalry,' according to his friends". USA Today. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  14. 1 2 3 Fell, Nicole (December 16, 2025). "'Heated Rivalry' Star Hudson Williams on Shane and Overnight Success". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  15. ↑ "'Didn't expect it to get this big': Hudson Williams' Old Spaghetti Factory colleagues blown away by his rise to fame". CTV News Vancouver. January 21, 2026. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  16. 1 2 "Vancouver Badass Film Festival (2024)". IMDb. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  17. 1 2 "Winners 2026". Hollywood ShortsFest. 2026. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  18. 1 2 "Hudson Williams Was on 'Tracker' Before Playing Shane Hollander on HBO's Steamy 'Heated Rivalry': What to Know". Yahoo Entertainment. December 3, 2025. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  19. ↑ Gao, Max (November 20, 2025). "Inside "Heated Rivalry," the Gay Hockey Romance Series Changing Queer TV". Teen Vogue. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  20. 1 2 Fienberg, Daniel (November 26, 2025). "'Heated Rivalry' Review: HBO Max's Horny Hockey Drama Is a Playful Gay Romance for Grown-Ups". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  21. ↑ Sim, Bernardo. "Heated Rivalry: Hudson thought Connor would 'pin me down'". Out. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  22. ↑ Coleman, Ryan. "'Heated Rivalry' creator doesn't see 'any reason' to confirm the sexuality of lead actors". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  23. ↑ Zee, Michaela (December 1, 2025). "'Heated Rivalry' Actors Say Sexual Chemistry Started in Auditions". Variety. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  24. ↑ Prance, Sam (December 1, 2025). "Heated Rivalry actor Hudson Williams' age, height, past roles, where he's from and more". Capital FM. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  25. ↑ "First look at Hudson Williams in new witchy thriller 'Yaga'". PinkNews. July 23, 2026. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  26. ↑ Kurchak, Sarah (January 9, 2026). "Heated Rivalry Handles Autism With Love, Care, and a Touch of Awkwardness". Time. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  27. ↑ "Exclusive: 'Heated Rivalry' Is Steamy Sensation. Author Rachel Reid Hopes It Changes TV Romance for Good". Today. December 7, 2025. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  28. ↑ Colangelo, B. J. (December 5, 2025). "Canada's Heated Rivalry Destroys The Worst Trend Of American Streaming TV". /Film. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  29. ↑ "What happens when your gay hockey smut becomes a global phenomenon?". The Washington Post. December 6, 2025. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  30. ↑ "HBO's "Heated Rivalry" is the Sexiest and Most Significant Queer Show of the Year". RogerEbert.com. December 8, 2025. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  31. 1 2 Gheciu, Alex Nino (March 25, 2026). "'North of North' and '40 Acres' lead Canadian Screen Awards nominations". Pique Newsmagazine. Toronto. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  32. ↑ Weaver, Jackson (March 25, 2026). "North of North, Heated Rivalry, 40 Acres lead Canadian Screen Award nominees". CBC News. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  33. ↑ Tinoco, Armando (December 17, 2025). "'Heated Rivalry's Hudson Williams Signs With CAA". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  34. 1 2 Longeretta, Emily (December 29, 2025). "'Heated Rivalry' Stars Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams to Narrate Erotic Romantasy Series for Quinn". Variety. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  35. 1 2 "Exclusive: Hudson Williams & Connor Storrie Are Rival Fae Princes in Quinn's New Romantasy Audio, 'Ember & Ice'". Cosmopolitan. December 29, 2025. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  36. 1 2 Heching, Dan; Rosenbloom, Alli (February 28, 2026). "Connor Storrie survives his big 'SNL' test". CNN. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  37. 1 2 Damshenas, Sam (January 7, 2026). "Heated Rivalry's Hudson Williams channels Nosferatu in horror music video". Gay Times. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  38. 1 2 Fell, Nicole (April 13, 2026). "How Laufey's Star-Studded "Madwoman" Music Video Came to Life With Hudson Williams, Lola Tung". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  39. ↑ "Hudson Williams' 'Heated Rivalry' Followup 'Yaga' Heads To AMC+". Deadline Hollywood. April 30, 2026. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  40. ↑ "'Heated Rivalry' Star Hudson Williams Among Six to Recur in Netflix FTX Series 'The Altruists'". Variety. March 17, 2026. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  41. ↑ Katz, Evan Ross (host); Williams, Hudson (guest) (January 2026). Hudson Williams Part 2 (Full Episode) (Podcast). Shut Up Evan. Event occurs at 13:41. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  42. ↑ "Fan Questions for Hudson Williams". Langara College TikTok. December 6, 2025. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  43. ↑ Sobrevilla, Savannah (January 16, 2026). "Hudson Williams Just Made His Milan Fashion Week Debut". GQ. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  44. ↑ Malkin, Mark (January 25, 2026). "Heated Rivalry Stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie Carry Olympic Torch in Italy". Variety. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  45. ↑ Petz, Sarah (January 29, 2026). "Prime minister meets Heated Rivalry stars, pays tribute to hit show 'that could only be made in Canada'". CBC News. Ottawa. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  46. ↑ Brookins, Laurie (March 19, 2026). "Chanel Tops the Oscars Red Carpet Power Rankings". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  47. ↑ Rikhy, Trishna (February 17, 2026). "Hudson Williams Wants You to 'Stay Sexy'". GQ. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  48. ↑ https://www.balenciaga.com/en-us/summer-26-campaign
  49. ↑ Lambe, Stacy (April 14, 2026). "Hudson Williams Flashes Abs in New Peloton Ad". People. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  50. ↑ "Peloton Taps Hudson Williams For New Creative Campaign" (Press release). Peloton Interactive. April 14, 2026. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  51. ↑ Donaldson, Ali (April 20, 2026). "Peloton Released Its Most-Watched Video Since the Pandemic—Thanks to This Buzzy Casting". Inc.com.
  52. ↑ Allaire, Christian (May 4, 2026). "Hudson Williams Turns Into a (Shirtless) Balenciaga Matador at the 2026 Met Gala". Vogue. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  53. ↑ Patterson, Kenneal (May 5, 2026). "Hudson Williams Makes His Met Gala 2026 Debut In Black Swan-Inspired Makeup". Vanity Fair. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  54. ↑ Kostic, Jana (May 26, 2026). "Hudson Williams Stars in Bulgari Gold & Steel Campaign". DSCENE. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  55. ↑ Kostic, Jana (August 5, 2026). "Hudson Williams Joins SKIN1004 as Brand Ambassador". Beauty Scene. Retrieved August 7, 2026.
  56. ↑ https://www.beautyscene.net/skin-care-products/hudson-williams-skin1004-ambassador/
  57. ↑ Isai, Vjosa (August 6, 2026). "The 'Heated Rivalry' Star Hudson Williams Uplifts a Canadian Tire Bag". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 7, 2026.
  58. ↑ "'Heated Rivalry' Star Hudson Williams Details Struggles of Sudden Fame". Variety. January 20, 2026. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  59. ↑ "'Heated Rivalry' Stars Tell Fans to 'GTFOH' If They Can't Be Kind on Social Media". Rolling Stone Australia. March 10, 2026. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  60. 1 2 "Heated Rivalry's Hudson Williams Makes Red Carpet Debut With Girlfriend at Vanity Fair Oscars Party". E! Online. March 16, 2026. Retrieved July 26, 2026.
  61. ↑ "ACTRA Toronto announces 24th ACTRA Awards in Toronto nominees". ACTRA Toronto. April 16, 2026. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  62. ↑ Neglia, Matt (June 17, 2026). "The 2026 Dorian (GALECA) TV Award Nominations". NextBestPicture.com. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
  63. ↑ "Please join us in celebrating the official nominees for the 2nd edition of the Kelowna Independent Film Festival". Instagram. June 12, 2026. Retrieved June 12, 2026.
  64. ↑ Wandler, Amanda (June 21, 2026). "Congrats to all the winners at KIFF!". Instagram. Retrieved June 24, 2026.
  65. ↑ O'Keefe, Meghan (June 12, 2026). "'Heated Rivalry,' 'Industry,' and 'Widow's Bay' Dominate the Prestigious 2026 TCA Award Nominations". Decider. Retrieved June 12, 2026.
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