Heated Rivalry author Rachel Reid had the best response to criticism surrounding Justice Smith’s casting in season two of the hit show.
Hours after Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie were announced to star as Harris Drover and Troy Barrett, respectively, in Heated Rivalry season two Aug. 7, the series’ author seemingly addressed criticism of the casting.
As she wrote on Instagram Stories Aug. 7, “Thinking about all the people last summer who told me the casting for Ilya and Shane was wrong and bad….”
Indeed, Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams’ steamy performances as the fictional hockey players couldn’t have resonated more with audiences. And while Reid urged fans to trust her gut when it comes to filling more roles in the hit book-to-TV adaptation moving forward, supporters of the franchise have their concerns.
Mainly, many die-hard fans of the Heated Rivalry universe were skeptical about Smith's casting considering Harris is described in Reid’s Game Changers series as “stocky.”
“Harris is supposed to be stocky,” one user wrote on X in response to the casting announcement. “Justice is not. Let’s not change that aspect of him.”
Meanwhile, another user emphasized the sentiment, adding, “I love Justice, and I think he’s a fantastic actor, but this is a bummer for Harris.”
But other fans are thrilled to see the budding actors leave it all out on the hockey rink together.
“Loved seeing justice in the other shows/films I’ve seen him in,” another fan wrote. “Can’t wait to see him on s2!”
And despite any criticism about the casting, the Heated Rivalry production team has no doubt Smith and Gillespie will deliver.
“Rachel Reid has given us two beautifully layered characters in Harris and Troy who you can’t help but root for,” show creator Jacob Tierney and executive producer Brendan Brady said in a statement to Deadline on Aug. 7. “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,” they continued, “bringing an instinctive understanding of who Harris and Troy are.”
Until Heated Rivalry season two makes its debut, keep reading for more exciting TV shows premiering soon.
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