Hudson Williams‘ off-screen love life is anything but a “Heated Rivalry.”
The actor, whose role as hockey player Shane Hollander in the steamy romantic drama made him a TV heartthrob, gave fans a peek at his relationship in a Valentine’s Day tribute shared on social media Saturday, Feb. 14.
In the since-deleted Instagram stories post, Williams shared a photo collage of himself and his longtime girlfriend. The collage featured several intimate shots of the couple, including one photo that seemingly showed the pair dining with Williams’ “Heated Rivalry” costar, Connor Storrie.
“Happy Valentine’s Day,” Williams wrote of his partner, according to a screenshot published by E! News. “[She’s been] with me since my 2000 gold Mazda Protégé smoked and squealed and I had no job.”
See ‘Heated Rivalry’ stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie in photos
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Connor Storrie, left, and Hudson Williams attend the premiere of “Heated Rivalry” at TIFF Lightbox on Nov. 24, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario.
Williams’ hard launch of his relationship comes after he and Storrie faced scrutiny of their sexualities following the breakout success of “Heated Rivalry,” a show that’s become beloved for its racy love scenes and push-and-pull relationship between hockey rivals Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov.
Given Hollander and Rozanov’s passionate romance, fans have speculated online about the sexual orientations of both Williams and Storrie. While the actors have been cozy during press for the show, neither have publicly confirmed their sexuality.
Hudson Williams, right, and Connor Storrie attend the premiere of “Heated Rivalry” at TIFF Lightbox in Toronto on Nov. 24, 2025.
Series creator Jacob Tierney tried to shut down the public scrutiny, telling Xtra in November, “What’s so impressive about both of these guys is they came into this being like, ‘Yeah, we’re here to do this, and we are here to make this story feel authentic and to be as real as possible.'”
Similarly, Williams told Deadline that the speculation about his sexuality is “just the nature of celebrity.”
“I think there’s never a question for me, when I would dream of becoming in the public eye, that I would want just a level of privacy,” Williams told the outlet in December. “I want queer people telling queer stories, but also, there’s the element of Connor and I — we’re best friends, and we love expressing that physically.”
Get to know Hudson Williams: The ‘Heated Rivarly’ star’s life before fame, according to his friends.
Why ‘Heated Rivalry’ sexuality rumors can be problematic
Williams and Storrie join the growing list of celebrities and public figures who regularly face speculation about their sexuality, which includes pop star Shawn Mendes, R&B singer Khalid and “Heartstopper” actor Kit Connor.
“The nature of celebrity journalism is to glean as much information as possible about celebrities we arguably know too well,” Melvin Williams, associate professor of communication and media studies at Pace University, previously told USA TODAY.
“Still, celebrities and non-celebrities do not owe the public a confirmation or explanation about their sexual orientations, and disclosures should remain a matter of choice.”
Hudson Williams attends Gold House’s Lunar New Year Gold Celebration at Chinese Tuxedo in New York City on Feb. 12, 2026.
Hudson Williams speculation: ‘Heated Rivalry’ stars, sexuality rumors and what we can learn
Sure, anyone is free to discuss anything privately. But talking about someone’s sexuality in a public forum when they’re not comfortable with it is a whole other kind of intrusion. And while people may worry about a lack of authenticity in LGBTQ representation when actors from the community aren’t in those roles, it’s a more nuanced discussion than people like to admit.
Mental health experts say people should never feel obligated to come out, especially when their safety is at risk. Even when they are more privileged, people also shouldn’t come out if they’re not ready.
“Ideally, we are working to create a world without boxes or closets to ‘come out of’ because we would never be expected to be anything other than who we say we are,” Moe Ari Brown, a licensed marriage and family therapist, previously told USA TODAY. “Until that shift happens, we must intentionally choose who we wish to invite into a celebration of our identities.”
Contributing: David Oliver, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ‘Heated Rivalry’ star Hudson Williams reveals longtime partner