“Heated Rivalry” has found its newest heartthrobs.
The producers of Crave’s hit hockey romance say they have cast Hollywood actor Justice Smith and New Brunswick native Charlie Gillespie in new roles for the second season.
Smith will play Harris Drover, an openly gay social media manager for the fictional Ottawa Centaurs. He becomes close with closeted player Troy Barrett (Gillespie), who has just been traded to the team. The characters appear in “Role Model,” the fifth book in author Rachel Reid’s Game Changers series.
Unlike Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, the breakout stars of “Heated Rivalry,” the new additions to the cast have established onscreen careers.
Smith appeared in two recent instalments of the “Jurassic Park” franchise and as an illusionist in the latest sequel to the “Now You See Me” heist movies.
Gillespie has starred in the Netflix music drama “Julie and the Phantoms” and the horror-comedy “Totally Killer.” He’s also a musician who recorded solo songs for his role in “Sidelined 2: Intercepted.”
According to “Heated Rivalry” creator Jacob Tierney and producer Brendan Brady, the two actors brought depth and heart to their auditions.
“They immediately connected with the vulnerability and resilience at the core of these characters, bringing an instinctive understanding of who Harris and Troy are,” they said in a statement.
Production on the next season of “Heated Rivalry” is ramping up in Toronto and lead actors Williams and Storrie have been spotted around the city over the past week.
Crave says the second season of the series is set to premiere next spring.
