Actor Connor Storrie is opening up about a wild twist of fate that occurred on the same day he found out he had landed his breakout role in HBO Max’s hit series Heated Rivalry. In a candid interview on Today on Jan. 14, the 25-year-old actor revealed that he was working as a waiter when he received the life-changing call, but not before nearly losing his job due to a customer complaint.
From Restaurant Waiter to HBO Max Star
Storrie, born and raised in Texas, spent eight years working in restaurants before making his television breakthrough. “I was working at a restaurant, I worked at restaurants for eight years,” he told Today.
On the very day he learned he had been cast as Ilya Rozanov in Heated Rivalry, Storrie admitted that things at work were far from smooth. “I messed up a table so bad… got a horrible review and had to own up to it in front of all the staff,” he recalled. During the pre-shift meeting, his manager read the complaint aloud, emphasizing that the service was not up to the restaurant’s standard.
The result? A last warning that put his job in jeopardy. However, Storrie’s fortunes changed dramatically when he checked his phone during a break and saw a missed call—the call that offered him the coveted role on HBO Max. “Then I looked down at my phone on my break, and I had a missed call, and I got it [the part],” he said.
Storrie’s Role in Heated Rivalry
Heated Rivalry, adapted from Rachel Reid’s bestselling novel, follows rival hockey players Ilya Rozanov (Storrie) and Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) as they navigate a secret love affair while competing professionally. The show, filmed over just one month in mid-2025, premiered to massive fan acclaim and quickly became a sensation on streaming platforms.
Storrie described the experience as “shocking” and humbling. “All of this has been so cool,” he told Interview Magazine in December 2025. “There’s so many things that get made, and online we have access to so many opinions that I fully prepared myself before anything happened — I was fully prepared for nothing to really come of this.”
Life After Heated Rivalry
Since the premiere, Storrie said his life has completely transformed. “I knew the show would be a really beautiful moment for fans of the books, but it has since transcended that,” he explained. “Anything on top of that is a total blessing, cherry on top of the cake. And it just keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger.”
The series was renewed for a second season on Dec. 12, much to the delight of fans. Reid, the author of the original Heated Rivalry novel, expressed her excitement about continuing the story. She also recently announced a new book, Unrivaled, which follows the lives of Ilya and Shane and is slated for release later this year. “It has been a blast writing these guys again, and revisiting the entire Game Changers cast,” Reid said.
Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams: On-Screen Chemistry
Fans have praised the chemistry between Connor Storrie and co-star Hudson Williams, who plays Shane Hollander. Their performances as rivals turned secret lovers have resonated deeply with audiences, highlighting LGBTQ+ representation in sports dramas. The series has also sparked discussions around closeted athletes and the challenges they face, with both Storrie and Williams acknowledging the social impact of their roles.
Heated Rivalry is currently streaming on HBO Max, and the show’s growing popularity has made Storrie a rising star in the entertainment industry. From almost being fired as a waiter to landing a career-defining role, Storrie’s journey is a testament to perseverance, timing, and a bit of serendipity.
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