Heated Rivalry star François Arnaud said that creator Jacob Tierney’s decision to shoot the series in Canada is one of the major reasons for the show’s success.
In an interview with CBS Mornings, Arnaud revealed how Tierney protected the show’s vision by walking away from a deal with a major American streaming platform and how the Canadian production allowed creative freedom that wouldn’t have been possible elsewhere.
“I don’t think this show could have been made in the U.S,” Arnaud told hosts Gayle King and Nate Burleson. “It was set up at a big streamer before, and they had so many notes and so many thoughts on what that show could be that Jacob decided to leave them and get it made in Canada.”
The actor revealed that the streaming service had strict restrictions that would have fundamentally changed the show. One particularly restrictive demand was that there be no kissing until episode five, a change that would have completely altered the story fans have come to love.
While partnering with Canadian streaming service Crave meant working with a “much smaller budget” than what a major American platform could have provided, Arnaud explained that this trade-off was worthwhile. The decision gave Tierney complete control to create the show exactly as he imagined it, including all the intimate scenes that have become central to its appeal.
“I think that’s what people are responding to and I think in a way it’s a huge lesson for Hollywood people,” Arnaud continued. “This is like a niche show, no movie stars and it’s a [big] sensation.”
The gamble paid off spectacularly. The series has already been renewed for a second season, with HBO Max partnering to distribute the Canadian-produced show to wider audiences.
Heated Rivalry Intimate Approach
Jacob Tierney has consistently defended the importance of depicting physical intimacy in Shane and Ilya’s relationship. He believes the show’s honest approach to sexuality is what sets it apart from other romance series and contributes to its authenticity.
“It’s this very limiting, puritanical way of looking at sex scenes of, you either pan away and ‘I don’t wanna watch this,’ or you omit people’s sex lives entirely as though that’s not a part of who they are,” Tierney told Entertainment Weekly. “We were very aware we’re making a horny show. Let it be horny. Enjoy! That’s part of the fun of this, right? That’s also part of the reaction we’re seeing here, is that this show is different because of that.”
The creator emphasized his intention to portray physical intimacy as something positive and meaningful rather than problematic.
Tierney added, “Sex is not supposed to be trauma here, and that was something I really wanted to avoid. I want it to be beautiful.”
This philosophy represents a departure from how many television shows handle intimate scenes, where sexuality is often depicted as something shameful or used solely for shock value. Instead, Heated Rivalry treats it as a natural and important part of the characters’ relationship development.
Heated Rivalry follows the complicated relationship between two professional hockey players, Shane Hollander (played by Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie), who are rivals in Major League Hockey. The series begins with the two athletes starting a secret physical relationship, which becomes increasingly complex as genuine emotions develop over the episodes.
