Heated Rivalry Season 2 Casts Six New Stars, Including Lauren Chan and Nick Stahl

Key points

• Six new actors have joined the cast of Heated Rivalry Season 2, including Brendan Morgan, David Tomlinson, Gerry Dee, Michelle Mylett, Lauren Chan, and Nick Stahl.
• Brendan Morgan will play Zane Boodram, a professional hockey player on the Ottawa team, while David Tomlinson will play Cody Kent, a player on the Toronto team.
• The character previously known as Dallas Kent in Rachel Reid's novels has been renamed Cody Kent for the television series.
• Gerry Dee will play Coach Cooper, the head coach of the Toronto team, and Michelle Mylett will play Lisa, a doctor and the wife of Wyatt Hayes.
• Lauren Chan will play Gen, an employee of the Ottawa team, and Nick Stahl will play Curtis Barrett, the father of Troy Barrett.
• The second season will primarily be adapted from Rachel Reid's sixth novel in the Game Changers series, The Long Game, with some material from Role Model and Tough Guy.

Background

Heated Rivalry is a Crave-HBO Max series based on Rachel Reid's Game Changers book series. The first season, which premiered in November 2025, focused on the romance between rivals Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov. The show was renewed for a second season early in its first season run, and several cast members, including Milla Jovovich, Kevin Zegers, and Paul Gross, were announced in September 2026.

How outlets are covering it

The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline both reported on the six new cast members, with The Hollywood Reporter providing more detail on the characters and their roles. Sports Illustrated Swimsuit focused on Lauren Chan's involvement, highlighting her background as a model and her excitement about joining the cast. All three sources agree on the core facts of the casting announcements and the spring 2027 release date.

Why it matters

The addition of six new cast members, including well-known actors like Lauren Chan and Nick Stahl, signals the continued growth and popularity of Heated Rivalry. The expansion of the cast and the adaptation of multiple novels from Rachel Reid's series suggest a more complex and interconnected storyline for the second season, which could further solidify the show's status as a hit in the LGBTQ+ and sports drama genres.

What to watch

The second season of Heated Rivalry is currently in production and is expected to premiere in spring 2027 on HBO Max and Crave. More cast announcements and production updates are likely to follow as filming continues.