Jacob Tierney, the creator behind the steamy hockey romance we all know and froth, Heated Rivalry, has shut down the racist attacks Hudson Williams has copped since the show’s surge in popularity.
There’s no doubt that Heated Rivalry has made an immense impact on pop culture. It’s literally been a couple of months since the hockey romance drop, and fans are still making edits of Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander to this day!
But unfortunately, with its quick rise in popularity, its stars have become the target of hate and bigotry.
Speaking to Deadline — as rumours surrounding the show’s second season begin to bubble — Tierney took the opportunity to call out fans who’ve displayed “problematic parasocial behaviour” with the Heated Rivalry cast.
Especially Williams, who is half-Korean, Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova, who is Russian-Trinidadian, and Fraçois Arnaud, who was targeted by trolls for being bisexual.
“We have a non-white lead. I think that’s fuckin’ important,” Tierney said.
“We can learn a few lessons out of that: you don’t need to be making an Asian show to have an Asian lead. Hudson’s a fucking star, man.”
The showrunner also reflected on the show’s surge in popularity, admitting that they “didn’t expect any of this attention or reaction from a public that might not exist at all”.
“We’ve learned a lot [since the show aired], and there’s a lot to think about moving forward in terms of the fandom and all that comes with it, negative and positive,” Tierney added.
Heated Rivalry stars shut down haters and bigots
Tierney’s comments come shortly after Williams shared his own Instagram Story, flaming people who are using Heated Rivalry as an excuse to be a bigot.
“Don’t call yourself a fan if you share racist/homophobic/biphobic/misogynistic/ageist/ableist/parasocial/bigoted comments of any kind. None of us need your hateful ‘love’,” Williams wrote on his Instagram Story.
“We all respect and support and love each other and are on the same side if you can’t accept that gtfoh,” he continued.
Kharlamova also shared her own statement, asking folks not to “turn something on the internet that is about love into hate”.
“So much love was put into this project, and we all have a genuine respect for every person involved in making it,” she wrote.
“We are not characters, nor are our real friends, partners, or family, and creating false narratives about us is not ‘love’. So many good things have come out of this series, so let’s keep it that way. Share the love, the art, the dance parties, the friends that have been made, the positivity.”
Heated Rivalry is truly a revolutionary show. In fact, it’s helped others to come out and be their most authentic selves, so it is absolutely heartbreaking that there are folks out here spewing that hate and vitriol.
Like… how are you a fan when you’re doing that???? Make it make sense, hun.
Image source: Getty Images.
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