Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie Join Crave Original, HEATED RIVALRY

TORONTO, ON (August 7, 2026) – The hit Crave Original HEATED RIVALRY has cast Justice Smith (I Saw the TV Glow, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t) and Charlie Gillespie (One Night Only, Splitsville, Suze) as Harris Drover and Troy Barrett. Smith and Gillespie join Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie in leading roles for the upcoming new season which is scheduled to premiere in Spring 2027. Produced by Accent Aigu Entertainment in association with Bell Media’s Crave, the critically acclaimed and award-winning series HEATED RIVALRY is created by Jacob Tierney and based on Rachel Reid’s bestselling Game Changers books. “Rachel Reid has given us two beautifully layered characters in Harris and Troy who you can’t help but root for,” said Jacob Tierney and Brendan Brady. “From the start of the casting process, we knew we were looking for actors who could create something truly special together and bring that same depth and heart to the screen. Justice and Charlie do exactly that. They immediately connected with the vulnerability and resilience at the core of these characters, bringing an instinctive understanding of who Harris and Troy are.” Headshots are available HERE. Season 1 told the story of rival hockey players Shane Hollander (Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Storrie). Bound by ambition, rivalry and a magnetic pull neither of them fully understood, what began as a secret fling between two fresh-faced rookies evolved into a years-long journey of love, denial, and self-discovery. The series is commissioned by Bell Media’s Crave, with the participation of the Canada Media Fund (CMF). Jacob Tierney is writer, director, and executive producer. Brendan Brady and Jayme Alter Wilson serve as executive producers. Lori Fischburg and Liane Cunje are producers, with Rachel Reid as consulting producer. Mike Goldbach serves as co-writer on Season 2. For Bell Media: Adam Feigen is Development Executive, Scripted Original Programming; Rachel Goldstein-Couto is Head of Development; Melissa Williamson is Senior Production Executive; Sarah Fowlie is Head of Production; Li Yeh is Director, Strategic Planning; Brian Blazik is Head of Bell Media Sales, Sphere Abacus; Carlyn Klebuc is General Manager, Original Programming; and Justin Stockman is Vice President, Global Content. The series is distributed internationally by Sphere Abacus, a Bell Media company, and is available in more than 130 countries around the world.