Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie have joined the cast of the hit series “Heated Rivalry,” taking on the roles of Harris Drover and Troy Barrett in the upcoming second season. Smith and Gillespie will join returning stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, who are reprising their roles as Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov.
The casting announcement expands the series’ storyline beyond its original central romance while introducing characters from Rachel Reid’s “Game Changers” book universe. Season 2 is expected to draw from Reid’s novels “The Long Game” and “Role Model,” continuing the story of the professional hockey players while expanding the show’s exploration of relationships within the sport.
Gillespie will portray Troy Barrett, a former hockey player whose journey involves rebuilding his reputation after leaving behind a controversial situation with a former teammate. In the “Role Model” storyline from Reid’s novels, Troy joins the Ottawa Centaurs after distancing himself from his past and begins confronting personal challenges as he works toward redemption. Smith will play Harris Drover, the Ottawa Centaurs’ social media manager and a devoted hockey fan whose own athletic ambitions were limited by a heart condition. The character is described as warm and optimistic, providing a contrast to Troy’s more complicated history as the two develop a relationship.
It was also announced that actress Milla Jovovich is also joining Season 2 and will play Dr. Galina Molchalina, a psychologist who treats Ilya; as well as new cast members Kevin Zegers as Ottawa Centaurs coach Brandon Wiebe, and Paul Gross as NHL commissioner Roger Crowell.
Cast members returning for Season 2 include Sophie Nelisse and Francois Arnaud, reprising their roles as actress Rose Landry and hockey player Scott Hunter; along with additional returning cast members Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova as Svetlana, Christina Chang as Yuna, Dylan Walsh as David, Robbie G.K. as Kip, Callan Potter as Hayden, Benjamin Roy as JJ and Kamilla Kowal as Jackie.
“Heated Rivalry” was developed by Jacob Tierney and is based on Reid’s “Game Changers” series. The second season is scheduled to premiere in spring 2027 on Crave in Canada and HBO Max internationally.
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