One of the hottest shows on television was filmed in Guelph and hired the services of a former OHLer and Guelph Gryphon to make the scenes of hockey look real.
‘Heated Rivalry‘ is the latest show from director Jacob Tierney, the man who brought you ‘Letterkenny’ and ‘Shoresy’.
The story, based on the book of the same name by Halifax author Rachel Reid, follows rivals Shane Hollander, played by Hudson Williams, and Ilya Rozanov, played by Connor Storrie, and how their rivalry on the ice evolves into a heated romance.
Jonah De Simone, a former Guelph Gryphon, plays the body double for Williams for the scenes where he is on the ice playing hockey. Williams, in spite of being Canadian, has little experience playing hockey, and De Simone was in charge of teaching him how to hold a stick.
“If you’ve never worked with actors before, you don’t really know what to expect, but they were really humble, great guys, willing to learn and do justice to the sport and their characters,” said De Simone.
Gryphons current Head Coach Josh Dixon also was also involved in the shooting of the show as a consultant.
“As people in hockey, we’re always looking to grow the game,” said Dixon. “To raise awareness for the LGBTQ2IA community who exists in hockey is great. It’s been impressive how wide-ranging the show’s impact has been. The number of times you hear the show referenced, people are watching and paying attention. The more fandom that’s out there around hockey, the better.”
Jonah De Simone, former Guelph Gryphon, in conversation with Josh Piercey about appearing on ‘Heated Rivalry
“We had a great time making them feel like they were a part of the hockey brotherhood, and honestly by the end, you really felt like they were one of the boys,” said De Simone.
The show has already been greenlit for a second season.