If you thought the hockey sticks were the only things getting a workout on Heated Rivalry, Kaden Connors has a little behind-the-scenes insight for you.
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We’re only months away from Season 2 of Heated Rivalry, but naturally, waiting patiently was never going to be an option for fans. Since production kicked off in Toronto, viewers have been collecting every photo, casting update and tiny scrap of information they can find.
breaking my silence: i wish the scene with sasha was longer / we had more scenes with ilya and sasha pic.twitter.com/zvBMnL7M94
— kiwinor (@connorozanov) March 11, 2026
Among the familiar faces returning is Kaden Connors, who played Sasha, a friend and former lover of Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie). The first season offered glimpses into Sasha and Ilya’s history, giving fans a better understanding of the relationships and experiences that helped shape Ilya.
Kaden Connors on why Sasha wasn’t just another fling in Ilya’s story
In a new interview with Now Toronto, Connors opened up about Sasha and the role he believes the character played in Ilya’s journey.
“[Sasha is] rich on the surface level and very much a party boy who just wants to go have fun, no strings attached… So, he’s definitely representative of that culture that can take over a lot of queer people’s lives and become their entire identity,” Connors said. “I think that’s representative of what Ilya was trying to leave. He’s walking away and starting new with his life in North America, away from Russia.”
In other words, Sasha represents a version of queer life that looks glamorous, carefree and endlessly fun from the outside — but might not be quite as fulfilling once the music stops.
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That makes his connection to Ilya more significant than simply being part of the character’s romantic history. Sasha is tied to the life Ilya is trying to move beyond, making those flashbacks potentially even more interesting if season 2 dives deeper into their past.
Heated Rivalry’s sex scenes are choreography, not chaos
Of course, there is one subject fans were always going to want Connors to address: those intimate scenes.
While Heated Rivalry has certainly given viewers plenty to talk about, Connors emphasized that filming them is a professional process — even when the finished product has audiences reaching for the nearest fan.
“Professionalism is key,” Connors said, while also stressing the importance of chemistry between actors.
“It’s kind of just like a dance,” Connors said. “It’s choreography. You get to know what’s gonna happen, but still have the playroom to, if the moment calls for it, you’re still finding that chemistry with the other actor.”
And honestly, that may be the least surprising revelation ever. On camera, intimacy can look spontaneous and effortless. Behind the scenes, there’s planning, communication and choreography involved — because apparently you can’t just throw two attractive actors into a room and yell “action” and expect television magic to organize itself.
The sex matters because the love story does
For Connors, the appeal of Heated Rivalry goes beyond how much skin makes it onto the screen.
Despite the abundance of intimate moments, he doesn’t see the show’s sexuality as gratuitous. Instead, he’s proud of the way Heated Rivalry puts queer characters and their relationships at the center of the story.
“I’m very proud to be part of it,” Connors said. “I think they work a lot of stereotypes, where you often see queer characters are kind of thrown in as these side characters or these tropes that are classic and easily digestible, but it’s wonderful to see that this is the queer love story. They’re the main characters.”
That distinction is a big part of why the show has resonated with queer viewers. The characters aren’t there to decorate somebody else’s storyline or provide a quick lesson in tolerance before disappearing into the background. Their love, messiness, hookups, heartbreak and complicated histories are the story.
And yes, sometimes that story happens to involve a lot of sex. We support a well-rounded narrative.
Will Sasha return in ‘Heated Rivalry’ Season 2?
Connors didn’t reveal exactly how much Sasha fans can expect to see in season 2, so the Sasha agenda remains officially under wraps.
However, he said he hopes to appear in flashbacks exploring Ilya’s younger years. Given everything we already know about their history, that could give fans a deeper look at who Ilya was before his life took its current direction.
For now, though, fans will have to survive on production photos, interviews and whatever crumbs the Heated Rivalry team decides to throw into the hungry fandom.
Season 2 is expected to premiere in April 2027 on Crave and HBO Max.
Until then, remember: the scenes may look spontaneous, but according to Connors, behind every sizzling moment is choreography, professionalism — and presumably a whole lot of pretending that everyone on set is behaving normally.