"Every epic romance needs its stage, but the Canadian phenomenon Heated Rivalry built an entire global arena. The television series, which has quickly moved from queer TikTok to just about everywhere beyond and spawned a thousand "meeting at the cottage" memes in the process, follows rival hockey stars Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov as they navigate a narrative that's part coming-of-age saga, part fever dream in which Toronto masquerades as Manhattan, Hamilton doubles for Russia."
"Their story unfolds through borrowed skylines and rented suites, employing Ontario's chameleonic landscape to construct what showrunner Jacob Tierney calls "the land of professional athletes who make millions of dollars." That money was always part of the love story. When Tierney and production designer Aidan Leroux first mapped out the show's visual journey, they weren't just thinking about where these characters would share a kiss, and considerably more, they were thinking about what those rooms would cost."
Heated Rivalry was filmed primarily across Ontario, where arenas, hotel rooms, and cottages supplied the series' settings. The production used Toronto to stand in for Manhattan and Hamilton to double for Russia, relying on Ontario's chameleonic landscape. The visual plan tracked the characters' increase in wealth, gradually introducing designer accessories and opulent interiors as careers progressed from junior leagues to lucrative sponsorships. Set design avoided gritty realism in favor of stylized Harlequin-romance glamour, with an intentional progression from stark concrete beginnings toward trickling opulence rather than instant luxury. Budget and room cost considerations shaped scene locations and furnishings.
Read at Conde Nast Traveler
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