People are gagged at how extensive Heated Rivalry star Hudson Williams's skincare routine is

The Heated Rivalry comms teams are working hard, even as everyone else is slowing down for the holiday break. I can’t imagine that there’s much resentment here, though, for either the HBO publicists or the Crave publicists here in Canada because it’s not often that a show like Heated Rivalry takes over the zeitgeist.

I have said this already, a few times, but the fact that it’s making an impact when Stranger Things’s final season was supposed to dominate the timeline is an achievement. And, at least according to my algorithm, Heated Rivalry is getting a lot more social media traction – but it still hasn’t peaked. More people will discover the series over the next couple of weeks with people being off work and spending more time at home. Sarah, for example, who has been saving it for when she unplugs before January comes and award season occupies all our time.

To go back to all that press, then, every day there are multiple new articles, interviews, and fresh posts about the show and its two breakout stars, Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie. Hudson’s candid and remarkable vulnerable conversation with Nicole Fell for The Hollywood Reporter is being embraced by the fandom for how sensitive he is and also forthcoming about his experiences, sharing that he has ADHD, and also talking about how his father’s autism helped him understand his character, Shane Hollander.

He also has thoughts on stereotypical masculinity and while he doesn’t directly say that he is challenging it, both through his performance and how he and Connor have been embracing their new fame, the subtext is there – especially since they’re playing athletes in a sport with such a homophobic culture.

There’s also been a tiny spat involving Heated Rivalry and I Love LA and this controversy has also indirectly helped the show. A few days ago, Jordan Firstman, in an interview with Vulture, was asked about how sex was portrayed in I Love LA compared to Heated Rivalry. His response went viral.

“Yeah, we’re going for it [on I Love LA]. It’s gay. I’m sorry, I watched those first two episodes of Heated Rivalry and it’s just not gay. It’s not how gay people f-ck. There’s so few things that actually show gay sex.”

Jordan was promptly dragged for this, with François Arnaud, who plays Scott on Heated Rivalry, commenting on Instagram:

“Is there only one way to have “authentic” gay sex on tv? Should the sex that closeted hockey players have look like the sex that sceney LA gay guys have?”

“Sceney LA gay guys” is hilarious and SO accurate, LOL.

Anyway, there’s been an update, the universes have collided. Hudson posted this on IG stories last night:

These gays are good now!

But let’s get back to Connor and Hudson and all the shine. Both had their own profiles in The Cut this week – here’s Connor’s - and this time Hudson’s interview, about his skincare routine is the one popping off. People are gagged at how extensive it is. Which…I mean… his mother is Korean, do we not know by now about K-beauty?

The products are endless, and his knowledge of them, and his skincare issues, is impressive but also, in context, not unusual. Every K-pop idol and drama actor would be the same. In fact, we often see idols and actors with their sheet masks on their various social media accounts, and talking about pore size and hydration without shame or embarrassment. Why shouldn’t men have beauty routines too? I wish my husband had a beauty routine. The man refuses to moisturise, and you can tell.

But here’s an actor under the brightest spotlight he’s ever experienced, and instead of leaning into hyper traditional masculinity after becoming a celebrity playing a queer character, he’s out here talking about blackheads, Botox, fine lines, and puffiness. But also feelings and vibes and best friendships and hugs. It’s adorable, I love him.

Meanwhile, Connor is happy to fuel the obsession over his hockey ass/bubble butt. Keep it coming… and cumming, LOL.