Heated Rivalry star Connor Storrie shocked fans after swapping out Ilya Rozanov's signature curls for a buzz cut amid filming season two of the gay hockey romance.
Ilya Rozanov is coming to the cottage with an unexpected new look.
After all, Connor Storrie traded in his signature golden curls for a very short, buzzed haircut while filming Heated Rivalry season two in Ontario, Canada, on Aug. 30.
The 26-year-old actor—donning a blue Henley shirt, black jeans and a camouflage baseball cap—stepped out with his shocking new haircut alongside dialect coach Kate Yablunovsky in Toronto.
His latest outing comes days after he was seen filming the gay hockey romance in a sleek black suit, turtleneck and sunglasses outside of a local funeral home in photos taken by the Hamilton Spectator.
Although the production manager declined to tell the local outlet what moment was being filmed, fans have speculated that it's the scene in Rachel Reid's third book Tough Guy, in which Ilya and Ryan Price are the only hockey players to attend a fellow player's funeral.
The Toronto Guardians defenseman paid his respects to Duncan Harvey—who, goalie Wyatt Hayes revealed, had died by suicide—after refusing to fight him earlier in the novel. For Ilya's part, he attended because he and secret boyfriend Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) had started a charity to fund mental health resources. (Not to mention his own family history of mental health struggles.)
The new haircut in the Crave series—which premiered on HBO Max in the U.S.—has taken the fandom by surprise, since Ilya's curls are not only a staple of his character, but are also described as part of his look during the funeral scene in Tough Guy.
"He was a very attractive man," the passage from chapter 26 reads, "almost as tall as Ryan, with sparkling hazel eyes and curly, golden-brown hair that fell lazily around his face in a manner that matched his unbothered personality."
Despite some changes having been made in the first season—including cutting some sex scenes and tightening the storyline—show creator Jacob Tierney emphasized his dedication to the material. And he had media giant Crave to thank for that freedom.
"They trusted me, but they also trusted the material and the audience that already loved this," he said on CBS Mornings in February. "There were a lot of people who think that they're smarter than the audience that loves the book and I don't think they are. I wanted to be fairly faithful. It's a very faithful adaptation."
As the Heated Rivalry cast—which includes newcomers Justice Smith, Charlie Gillespie, Emily Hampshire and more—takes center ice while filming the upcoming season, their team urged fans to refrain from disrupting production.
"To our incredible fans and everyone who's been sharing in the excitement for the show: Your support, enthusiasm, and kindness have meant the world to us," the Heated Rivalry Instagram account shared earlier this month. "As we gear up for more Heated Rivalry, please help us in making it the best it can be."
"If you happen to come across one of our filming locations, please give our cast and crew the space they need to do what they do best," the statement continued. "We promise it'll be worth the wait!"
While Connor and Hudson gear up to bring Shane and Ilya's love story back to the small screen, puck around and keep reading for more swoonworthy TV shows.
