A rumor has surfaced that Justice Smith will join the cast of the second season of the gay hockey drama "Heated Rivalry," portraying the character Harris. The claim, reported by an anonymous source, states that production began recently and that Smith will take on the role.
Smith, who has appeared in films such as "Pokémon: Detective Pikachu," "Jurassic World Dominion," "I Saw The TV Glow," and the series "The Voyeurs," is also known for his work in television. He identifies as queer and has been publicly in a relationship with fellow actor Nicholas L Ashe.
The upcoming season will follow the continuing romance between rival players Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov. It is adapted from the sixth book in the Game Changers series, titled "The Long Game," which serves as a sequel to the earlier installment "Heated Rivalry."
Within the novel, Ilya joins the Ottawa Centaurs, a new team that also features in the previous book "Role Model." That story centers on the love between closeted hockey player Troy Barrett and the team's social media manager, Harris Drover.
Fans have debated the suitability of Smith for the character of Harris, who is described in the books as a "cute, stock‑but‑comfortable guy" rather than a typical athletic figure. Similar concerns arose with a prior actor who did not match the book’s description of another character’s appearance.
Additional casting rumors include adult actor Jack Innanen being offered the role of Troy Barrett, which he could not accept due to scheduling conflicts, and model‑actor Abdalla Amour being suggested for the role of Fabian Salah.
Separately, there is speculation that the drag icon RuPaul may consider Smith for a biopic about his own life, citing the actor’s suitability for the role.
As production schedules and casting decisions evolve, the status of these rumors remains uncertain.
