Nobody famous is in 'Heated Rivalry.' That's exactly what made it a hit.

"When Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams made their Golden Globes debut on Sunday, walking onstage to the tune of Chappell Roan's "Pink Pony Club," they were met with a roar of applause so enthusiastic, you'd think they were Oscar frontrunners from a recent blockbuster. "You think everyone in the audience has seen 'Heated Rivalry?'" Williams asked his costar in a lighthearted bit. "'That's a maybe,'" Storrie replied with mock stoicism. "But their trainers have, and their moms have, and their daughters have.""

"If you didn't know who Storrie and Williams were before they were tapped as presenters at the awards ceremony - and, indeed, if you still don't - there's no need to be ashamed. The two actors were largely unknown before they were cast in the Canadian import "Heated Rivalry," a romance drama that HBO head Casey Bloys recently called "a word-of-mouth sensation" after its first season debuted on the streamer in late November."

Heated Rivalry premiered on HBO Max in late November and quickly became a surprise hit. Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams portray Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander, two professional hockey players who embark on a secret love affair. Both actors were relatively unknown prior to casting, a factor that helped the characters feel authentic onscreen. Luminate data shows viewership increased tenfold from the premiere to the finale, with the series continuing to accumulate hundreds of millions of viewing minutes after the season ended. The show is based on a Rachel Reid book series and drew a devoted following for its steamy scenes and co-leads' chemistry.

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