Why Heated Rivalry Wasn’t Nominated for a Golden Globe

Despite not being able to compete for awards at the 2026 Golden Globes, the team behind Heated Rivalry celebrated a successful night.

Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams were among the stars at the Hollywood awards show on January 11th, even presenting an award together. Many viewers likely wondered why they weren’t nominated for any awards themselves. (You can find a list of all the winners here.)

It turns out the show Heated Rivalry couldn’t be considered for nomination this year because the entire first season was made and funded in Canada.

Okay, so here’s the deal – it’s SO frustrating! Apparently, to even be considered for a Golden Globe, a show from anywhere outside the US has to be a true collaboration with an American company, right from the beginning. It can’t just be a foreign show; there has to be US money and creative input involved before they even finish making it. It’s like they’re saying unless America helped build it from the ground up, it doesn’t count! Seriously, it’s a coproduction or nothing, and it has to be agreed upon before the show is done. It’s just…ugh!

While American viewers watched the six-part series on HBO Max, Heated Rivalry was mainly made by Canadian companies Accent Aigu Entertainment and Bell Media. Bell Media, which owns the Canadian streaming service Crave, initially funded and requested the series.

Sadly, fans in the US hoping for success for the hockey series will also face disappointment at the 2026 Emmy Awards in September, due to a similar issue.

The Television Academy states that shows originally produced outside the U.S. aren’t eligible for awards unless they were made through a collaboration—both financially and creatively—with U.S. partners, starting before production began.

Despite this, Heated Rivalry might still be nominated for an International Emmy Award, although those ceremonies aren’t usually broadcast on television.

The good news is the show has been renewed for a second season by Crave and HBO. With HBO now also helping to produce the second season, it might change which awards the show is eligible for in the future.

At the 2026 Golden Globes, Hudson talked about the strong connection he has with Connor, both when they’re acting together and in real life.

I immediately felt a connection with Connor,” he shared with Zuri Hall during an interview on Live from TopMob: Golden Globes 2026. “The challenge then became creating a similar connection between Shane and Ilya.”

But, as the 24-year-old explained, there’s a difference between the actors and their characters.

Connor is very animated and open with his emotions. Ilya has a strong, almost rugged, personality – I’d describe him as a ‘Slavic rock.’ And Shane is the opposite – very solid and stoic, like a dense brick. So, you have these two contrasting personalities – the expressive, energetic Ilya, and the grounded, reserved Shane.

Keep reading for more stars at the Golden Globes…

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