If Connor Storrie hasn’t taken over your entire brain chemistry yet, Heated Rivalry is about to make sure he does. Connor Storrie — the Texas-born heartthrob heating up HBO Max — somehow manages to make every scene sweatier than the last. His Ilya Rozanov is fiery, dangerous, tender, cocky, and absolutely devastating with his shirt off, and frankly, we’re not surviving this man’s global takeover anytime soon.
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From Odessa to Obsession: Who Exactly Is Connor Storrie?
Born on February 22, 2000 in Odessa, Texas, Storrie didn’t just stumble into this breakout moment — he’s been building toward it. Before becoming the world’s newest queer sports-romance fantasy, he spent years working through short films like Ménage à Trois (yes, the title is exactly what you think) and Watch and Guide. He picked up roles in White Terror, Headless Horseman, and the miniseries Tiny Beautiful Things, showing a clear hunger to stretch himself creatively.
Then came 2023’s Riley, a queer coming-of-age sports film, followed by Joker: Folie à Deux (2024) where he shared the screen with Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix. That’s right — before Storrie was making gay Twitter collectively pass out as Ilya, he was literally in Gotham.
But nothing — nothing — prepared us for the bodybuilder-gymnast-turned-Russian-hockey-god era.
@acdilya Oh he’s gonna serve SO much cvnt as Ilya Rozanov 🙂↔️ #connorstorrie #heatedrivalry
The Body, the Gymnastics, the Glow-Up
Storrie grew up doing gymnastics and later pivoted into bodybuilding, which explains why he can flex one bicep and accidentally start a small riot. He reportedly went vegan for three years, which feels frankly illegal considering the sheer mass he’s carrying on that frame.
And then there’s the now-legendary audition story: according to Storrie himself, he thought he wouldn’t get the role because Ilya is supposed to be a towering, 190 cm Russian hockey menace. Meanwhile, Storrie walked into the role and said, “I may not be 190 cm, but I will be unreasonably, aggressively hot.” And it worked.
The Russian That Wasn’t Russian (but Sounds Very Russian)
In the days following Heated Rivalry’s release, Russian viewers have been praising Storrie’s accent like he grew up drinking vodka from a sippy cup — but here’s the twist: Storrie is not Russian, does not come from Russian heritage, and didn’t speak the language before landing the part.
According to Teen Vogue, Storrie spent three weeks taking four-hour Russian lessons daily to nail the dialogue. Four hours a day. For a month. To sound like a man who could ruin your life in a sauna.
Commitment? Yes. Attractive? Also yes.
@acdilya Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov in Heated Rivalry is just 👌🏼🔥 #heatedrivalry #connorstorrie #ilyarozanov
Shane + Ilya = Shower Steam (Literally)
Let’s address the scene everyone is waiting for. A sneak peek at the new episode shows Ilya and Shane in the shower — wet, pressed together, and radiating enough sexual tension to fog up your TV screen. Whether the steam is from the water or from the two of them… well, we’ll find out Friday, and then again Friday night, and probably again Saturday morning.
Jacob Tierney, the creator, wasn’t lying when he said there would be a lot of sex on the show. Sir, we owe you flowers.
The “Sex Sells” Tattoo Bond
As if Storrie and Williams weren’t already feeding fans enough, the duo recently revealed that they share matching “sex sells” tattoos — a flirty, winky souvenir they got after wrapping Heated Rivalry. In an interview shared by HBO Max, Storrie explained that his tattoo sits on his shin, outlined by a heart (because the universe wants us weak), while Williams’ version lives on his upper thigh… which feels perfectly on brand for a man who knows his audience.
Storrie described the ink as a playful nod to the series itself, calling it “a tongue-in-cheek, kind of winky view of being part of something like this,” especially for viewers who get to “watch these two characters fall madly in love,” which he described as “the cherry on top of the cake.” Williams added that yes, the sex is part of the show’s allure — “there’s sex that is selling” — but emphasized that the true heart of Heated Rivalry is “the worth and the merit beyond that.”
@hbomax Forever connected. #HeatedRivalry #HudsonWilliams #ConnorStorrie
Gay Bar Legends: Storrie & Williams Crash Trivia Night
Because the universe is generous, Storrie and Hudson Williams recently wandered into Hi Tops, a gay sports bar in West Hollywood, and surprised patrons during trivia night. The crowd lost their minds; the men took the mic like an iconic duo.
Williams thanked everyone for watching the show.
And then Storrie — glorious menace that he is — added:
“Thank you for tweeting about our butts.”
A poet. A philosopher. A man who understands his audience.
They then quizzed the crowd on Heated Rivalry trivia (chaos), supported a charity called Rainbow Labs, and offered beautiful advice to queer kids who dream of hockey careers.
Storrie told them:
“Take up space, be yourself really loud, and don’t take shit from anyone.”
Williams followed with:
“Just believe in yourself… swing it and bang it in every which direction and don’t let anyone shut you up.”
Honestly? Hang that in a museum.
Catch Storrie Every Friday
New episodes of Heated Rivalry air every Friday on HBO Max in the U.S. and Crave in Canada. And with Storrie getting shirtless, flexing, and looking steamy AF at every turn… you should probably cancel your weekend plans.
REFERENCE: Teen Vogue, Xtra Magazine, Etalk