Full List of Hudson Williams’ Upcoming Projects: From Yaga to Heated Rivalry Season 2

In the span of less than a year, Hudson Williams has gone from relative unknown to one of the most closely watched young actors in film and television. The Canadian performer’s breakout turn as professional hockey player Shane Hollander in the steamy, critically embraced series Heated Rivalry introduced him to a global audience hungry for queer romance with genuine emotional stakes and athletic intensity. Now, as cameras continue to roll on the show’s second season and new projects line up in rapid succession, Williams is carefully expanding his range—proving he is far more than a one-role phenomenon.

Born in Kelowna, British Columbia, and raised in Kamloops, the 25-year-old actor arrived on the scene with a quiet confidence and an already developed creative voice. Before Heated Rivalry made him a household name, Williams had written and directed several short films, including Soakers, Buttons, and Inside Augustine Mendoza’s Quotidian Apartment. That dual identity—performer and storyteller—continues to define his approach as he navigates the sudden demands of fame.

The Immediate Spotlight: Yaga

Williams’ most immediate project is the atmospheric mystery thriller Yaga, which premiered on Crave in Canada and AMC+ in the United States on October 23. Adapted from Kat Sandler’s play and reimagining the Slavic folklore figure of Baba Yaga for a contemporary coastal setting, the half-hour series casts Williams in dual roles. He plays Henry Park, the heir to a fishery empire in the isolated town of Whittock who mysteriously disappears, as well as Logan, Henry’s roommate and striking lookalike. The dual performance allows Williams to explore both presence and absence, vulnerability and ambiguity.

The ensemble is strong. Carrie-Anne Moss portrays a university professor entangled in the mystery, Noah Reid stars as private investigator Rapp, and Clark Backo appears as Detective Carson. The show blends detective procedural elements with folkloric unease and a distinctive feminist undercurrent. Early reactions have highlighted Williams’ ability to shift between the polished, privileged Henry and the more grounded Logan, demonstrating a technical control that goes beyond the romantic intensity that first brought him attention. For audiences still catching their breath after Heated Rivalry, Yaga offers a cooler, more unsettling register—and a clear signal that Williams has no intention of being typecast.

Returning to the Ice: Heated Rivalry Season 2

Even as he branches out, Williams remains deeply committed to the series that changed everything. Production on Heated Rivalry Season 2 began in August 2026 across locations in Canada, including Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa, with a planned spring 2027 premiere on Crave and HBO Max. The new season adapts Rachel Reid’s novel The Long Game, the direct sequel to the original Heated Rivalry story, while also incorporating elements from Role Model.

Williams returns as Shane Hollander opposite Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov. The narrative advances the couple’s relationship years into their secret partnership, exploring the tension between private intimacy and public pressure as Ilya pushes for openness and Shane weighs the professional risks. Returning cast members include François Arnaud and Robbie G.K. as Scott and Kip, Sophie Nélisse as Rose, and several others who helped establish the show’s rich supporting world. New additions such as Justice Smith, Charlie Gillespie, Emily Hampshire, and Edvin Ryding expand the ensemble and deepen the interconnected storylines drawn from Reid’s broader Game Changers universe.

At the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this fall, Williams offered a measured preview, describing the material as more emotionally complex and grounded in the real challenges of long-term relationships under scrutiny. For fans, the wait until 2027 feels long; for Williams, the continued work on the series provides both continuity and a high-profile platform while he builds his film résumé.

Stepping Into Features: Apparatus and Tyrant

Williams’ transition into feature films is already underway with two notable projects. In the darkly comedic thriller Apparatus, directed by Sofia Banzhaf in her feature debut, he stars opposite Dylan O’Brien. Williams plays Tyler, a struggling rideshare driver who becomes entangled with a charismatic, self-styled entrepreneur (O’Brien) promising opportunity through a handheld-massager business. What begins as a potential escape from economic precarity descends into something far more dangerous. The pairing of Williams and O’Brien has generated early industry interest, positioning the film as a stylish, tense character study with sharp social edges.

He also joins the ensemble of Tyrant, a culinary thriller directed by David Weil that features Charlize Theron, Julia Garner, Demi Moore, and Omar Apollo. Details remain tightly held, but the combination of high-caliber talent and a genre-bending premise—food culture intersecting with suspense and power—suggests another opportunity for Williams to share the screen with established stars while carving out a distinctive presence.

Streaming Ambition and Beyond

In March 2026, Netflix announced Williams for a recurring role as Duncan Rheingans-Yoo in The Altruists, a limited series examining the collapse of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX. Anchored by Julia Garner and Anthony Boyle, the project places Williams in a high-stakes, contemporary drama rooted in real-world financial scandal and ethical complexity. The role further distances him from pure romance and demonstrates casting directors’ willingness to see him in ensemble prestige television.

Closer to home, Williams appears in the second season of CBC’s The Assembly, which premieres November 1. The interview series places celebrities in front of autistic and neurodivergent interviewers known for their direct, unfiltered questions. Joining guests including Zach Galifianakis and Jay Baruchel, Williams faces the kind of candid conversation that few traditional press junkets allow. Early promotional material suggests the episode will not shy away from his rapid rise or the intimate nature of his best-known work.

The Writer’s Room

Perhaps the most intriguing development is Williams’ continued work behind the camera. In recent interviews promoting Yaga, he revealed he is currently writing a feature screenplay. One character is an ex-hockey player—a detail that has, by his own admission, created creative friction. “We’re getting tripped up on it and we’re considering other sports,” he told Entertainment Weekly, “but for some reason this character just made way more sense being an ex-hockey player. It’s almost like you have to bust through the prison of your own mind.”

The hesitation is understandable. After becoming synonymous with Shane Hollander, any return to the world of hockey risks accusations of self-imitation. Yet Williams’ refusal to simply change the sport for convenience speaks to a writer’s integrity. Whether the project ultimately retains the hockey element or evolves remains to be seen, but the fact that he is actively developing original material so early in his career is itself noteworthy.

A Career in Motion

What distinguishes Williams at this stage is not merely the volume of work but the deliberate variety. In a little over a year he has moved from romantic lead to dual-role mystery protagonist, from sports drama to dark comedy, from television stardom to feature film ensembles, and from actor to emerging screenwriter. He has balanced the demands of a returning hit series with new creative risks and maintained a public presence that feels grounded rather than manufactured.

Industry observers note that the post-Heated Rivalry moment is a precarious one for young actors. Sudden visibility can lead to typecasting or overexposure. Williams appears determined to avoid both. By choosing projects that challenge different aspects of his craft—physicality, emotional restraint, moral ambiguity, and comic timing—he is building a résumé that will allow him to work for decades rather than seasons.

As Yaga reaches audiences and Heated Rivalry Season 2 continues production, the coming months will test whether the early promise translates into sustained critical and commercial success. For now, Hudson Williams occupies a rare position: widely recognized yet still full of unexplored potential. The hockey player who captured hearts is already becoming something more complex—an actor and storyteller intent on defining his own trajectory. The next chapter is still being written, both on screen and, increasingly, by Williams himself.