IN CONVERSATION WITH HUDSON WILLIAMS
interview by DOMINIKA GŁOWACZ
Breaking records of queer television, Heated Rivalry has become the breakout series, and at the centre of the heat is Hudson Williams. The new star of the popular Crave/HBO Max hit talks about his role preparation, creative process, and the journey that brought both him, and the series to record viewership and ratings just two episodes into its debut.
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Did you hear about the book before auditioning for Shane’s role, or was it completely new to you?
It was completely new to me. I didn't even know hockey smut was this big international thing. I thought hockey was already niche, let alone gay hockey. I couldn't even imagine. So yeah, this was new to me, but I'm very glad it found me!
Did you ever expect the show to become so huge so quickly, and for fans to connect with you as Shane so intensely?
No, I definitely thought it would be a passionate fan base for the people it found but I did not think it would be this thing that, like you mentioned, is everywhere on social media.
It's become a show that everyone gathers their friends around, people are recommending it to each other and have screening nights – that blows my mind. Then also it blows my mind that they connect with Shane so deeply.
To me, he always felt very personal because he's neurodivergent, he's autistic and he has this flat affect. I surely knew a few people were going to understand from their own experience what this character represents and how much there is under the surface, but it's just filtered through this kind of monotone. The fact that a lot of people like him really surprised me in the best way possible, I’m happy that he resonates with people watching.
Following a bit on the questions, do you have a favorite edit of yourself that fans have made?
I do have one, but it's one of Connor, to the song Rasputin. He cuts so well to that song. Also, Should I Stay or Should I Go? It is fantastic, it is so good. Oh, and then also there's one to Maneater. There's a Maneater edit that makes our show look like it's the best fucking thing. But it's that the editors are powerful.
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Did you have any routines on set that helped you get into character each day?
For sure! I think a lot of it starts before you even show up on set. I did a lot of talking about him like he's someone I can control with dials. My dad is autistic, so I talked to him a little about this and that made me question: “is he more than this?” I was talking to Jacob, whether he is more Sidney Crosby level or Connor McDavid super robotic, or do I need to make him cinematic and enjoyable watching to a degree. But above all I knew I had to make him authentic. And then when I stepped into that, I kind of started to wear it like a giant mask that engulfs your whole body – and then I just try. It takes me very little to fill myself up with the anxiety or the sadness or the fear. I give myself like two minutes to do that because if I tried to go longer, I would just start focusing on being sad and then I get unfocused. So usually a minute before we start rolling, I just let my body fill up with all the emotions I need.
Was there a scene you found particularly challenging, and how did you overcome it?
Oh my God, there were a lot of scenes that were challenging for factors you wouldn't even think of. I remember there's a full spectrum of emotions in the bathroom scene in episode two where he goes from: fuck you, I hate you, whatever, you're an asshole to please suck my dick. And, I saw that on paper. I was like, what the hell? How do I get here? I didn't want to talk with Jacob yet. I wanted to find my own way in, and then it became one of my favourite scenes to do because that informed the rest of the character that is always there under anger, under sadness. It says I want you and not just in a sexual way, but I like you, you make me swoon, you make me melt. I think that's a really interesting layer.
The Hospital scene in a hospital bed – Shane is in a certain state, and it has that same underlying feeling of I melt to you when I see you. But I got to amplify it because he's in a hospital and on drugs. That felt really rewarding because I’ve got to imagine how this character would behave? I've been on anaesthetics before; I've, unfortunately, got a lot of injuries, so I remember and saw a lot of videos of me high in a hospital. But I was wondering how Shane would handle this? At first it was a little tricky but once I found it, that was one of the only times I stayed in character on set for that period because I just knew I couldn't fake it on the spot. I needed to stay in the drunkenness of it.
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How did you feel about playing a queer main character, and did you feel any pressure to represent the role authentically, especially given the importance of queer voices in the acting industry?
Absolutely! You want to play these characters, whose identity is this huge part of them. It's intrinsic. Unfortunately, for many it remains an internal battleground, but it is also something profoundly beautiful—shaping entire lives—and I wanted to honour that. And more specifically, I wanted to honour Shane's queerness, because it's different from being bisexual, it's different from being gay in New York, it's different from being gay in a very liberal LA family. He’s this hyper disciplined kind of robotic little hockey boy, who comes to terms with him being very gay and very not bi. I think that experience was really important to me. Then I tried to let go of the pressures of trying to handle all of queerness because that is a large spectrum. Specificity is way more important, I think, when tackling a tricky subject matter than trying to address everything or else it feels more offensive because you simply can't properly address everyone's experience. I just had to focus on this one fucking robot boy's little queerness.
Did you add anything personal to your character that wasn’t originally in the script but made it into the final cut?
I remember I didn't know if Shane was autistic. I only found out later through Rachel's post, but I was like, well, if this motherfucker isn’t an autistic, I don't know who is. I spoke a little bit about it with my father, and that's what I did in the audition room. I just worked on it further to like incorporate into all his little idiosyncrasies. And then, I put a lot of effort into my body and my voice being coiled and what that looks like.
A difference from the script, I would say is Shane isn't crying during the break up talk with Rose. Both in the book and in the scripts, he's not crying, but I wanted it when I read it. I just felt that's exactly what he'd be doing. And it's the first person who's seeing him, and – forgive my Gen Z term – holds space for him or just lets him exist fully open. Also in the hospital room, he was meant to be loopy, but not druggy like that – both in the books and the scripts, he's not that juvenile., I remember at one point, I was doing an impersonation of what I was going to do. I did it a little bit more cartoonishly, and Jacob asked me if that was really what I was going to do on the hospital bed? And I was like, yep! I kind of just owned it. Then by the time we started shooting it, Jacob was crying because, I guess, he just didn't see the charm of it when I was trying to pitch it to him. But, this was the only way I wanted to do this hospital scene. And I'm really glad I did.
And one thing I added, that was fun, was a moment of improv is before I kiss Ilya after I say “Scott Hunter's right next door.” I wanted to keep his Canadian thing going.You don't see my feet, but I take my shoes off before I lunge to kiss him. It felt not only very Canadian but also very Shane, even in his moment of passion,e's not walking with his shoes on. So that was a fun little addition.
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Do you have a favorite scene from the show?
I love Ilya's phone call. I think Connor, in that scene, is really beautiful. And I really like the hospital scene from episode five, the bathroom scene from episode two, and what else? Oh my God! The kiss scene from episode five is so interesting because it combines two books. The way that's done is really, really fun. And my scene with my mom in episode six.
I’ve read that you worked before in hospitality so how was the transition from your previous job to working on such a large production with a devoted fandom?
I did it right up until we began shooting. It's a wild change. I was very glad to be leaving for a job in Toronto, but I didn't really believe it until I got there. I accepted It was just like going from a place that you're kind of accepting, which was my serving job, as this could be my work for a few years. And then that ticket to maybe a successful show, I couldn't accept it. I really didn't believe that it could amount to a bigger thing. I went, I was happy to be there, but then,they told me it’s a small Canadian show. But it didn't feel that way. It looked really big. We have some pretty cool sets. I don't know what's small and Canadian about this. The fact that it just kept growing and it was always this burster of expectations,it never listened to what people were trying to sell it as.
That just continues to blow me away to the point where I'll believe anything now. None of it is to what expectation was. It's just constantly exceeding expectations. I'm almost missing the restaurants, not missing them, but you know, that was easy. That was safe. And this feels like a tornado.
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What was your reaction when you were recognized for the first time because of the show?
It’s a weird feeling, but it’s nice when people recognize you and already have a relationship with you, even though you don’t know them. That’s a little odd, but usually it comes with a lot of appreciation that they have for you, which just feels good. You definitely start feeling that you’re being watched now, like you could be on camera all the time. It’s just an adjustment period, and I’ll need to learn how to deal with that. But so far, everyone who has come up to me and noticed me has been so very kind. I’m grateful for every picture I can take or every thing I can sign, because it makes them happy.
What would Shane's Spotify Wrapped like this year?
I think it would be smooth jazz. Maybe it would accidentally be Neil Young, but I don’t think he even knows who Neil Young is. I feel like it would just end up on his playlist. If he was getting really, really edgy, The Rolling Stones would be there, and then Clairo, too.
If you weren’t acting, what do you think you’d be doing instead?
I’d be a writer in some capacity, whether a failed one or not. Either screenplays or a script editor, maybe even a cinematographer, but I think it would be in film. And if it wasn’t in film, then a UFC fighter. That’s always been my first sports love and kind of a dream that didn’t happen. And I definitely prefer this dream happening. I don’t think I could deal with the brain damage, but it’s a really beautiful sport.
If you could say one sentence to your future self, what would it be?
Never lose your spark of madness.
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TEAM CREDITS:
talent HUDSON WILLIAMS
photography TYLER PATRICK KENNY
styling ADRIÁN JOSE RAMOS DIAZ
grooming AIKA FLORES at The Wall Group
styling assistant RUBEN GARCIA
videography and music ANDREY FRAZÃO
production assistants KAILANI RAE and JAYDON TONEY
editor TIMOTEJ LETONJA
interview DOMINIKA GŁOWACZ
cover design ARTHUR ROELOFFZEN
special thanks to LA KINGS VALLEY ICE CENTER for the location
location host MICHAEL SANTIAGO
