Television January 07, 2026
‘Heated Rivalry’s’ Connor Storrie on Mom’s Reaction to Steamy Show (Exclusive)
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“Extra” caught up with “Abbott Elementary’s” Janelle James and “Heated Rivalry” breakout star Connor Storrie after they announced the 2026 Actor Awards nominations.
Connor, whose hockey romance series has taken HBO Max and the internet by storm, dished on his rising stardom, perfecting his Russian accent, and what his family thinks of the show’s very steamy content!
He said of going from waiting tables eight months ago to starring on “Heated Rivalry,” "I try not to sound like I'm full of myself, but I can believe it in a sense, just because, I mean, I went after this for, like, eight years. I've done countless auditions. I've done weird industrial films, student films, and so when you pray for something and you put a lot of time and effort into it, I mean, it's only kind of a matter of time before you're like, 'Yeah, I believe it.’"
He said of learning Russian, "I love accents. I love languages. I tried learning Russian in high school, but Russian is, like, the third hardest language to learn as an English speaker. Like, it's pretty much impossible.”
Storrie shared, “I told my mom what goes on in the show... She was like, 'Oh, okay.' She's like, 'Are you sure you want to do that?' And I was like, 'Yeah, I think I'm going to do it.’ And she's like, 'Oh, okay. Well, I'll just have to fast-forward a little bit.’”
He went on, "But yeah, my parents are very chill. They've always been super supportive and yeah, they love me and they're like, 'Go for it, boy. Do it.’”
We also asked Janelle about the moment the cast of “KPop Demon Hunters” asked to take a picture with her at the Critics Choice Awards on Sunday.
She shared, "I wanted a picture with them, but then they asked me first. So, that’s always cool when you know like your peers know you and enjoy the enjoy your work."
