Haley Lu Richardson’s NSFW Take on ‘Heated Rivalry’ Leaves Emilia Clarke in Stitches

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Haley Lu Richardson had everyone cracking up when she shared her very honest opinion about the popular hockey romance series, Heated Rivalry, and even Emilia Clarke couldn’t help but laugh. The actresses chatted with Entertainment Tonight while promoting their new Peacock show, PONIES, and the conversation naturally led to the hit series.

Haley Lu Richardson playfully warned viewers to ensure their… vibrators are fully charged while talking about her co-star, Connor Storrie. Emilia Clarke reacted with shock, jokingly refusing to repeat the comment on air.

Haley Lu responded honestly, saying, “Did I mention my butt still hurts? It really does, even a week later!” They continued playfully joking with each other, and Haley Lu complimented Connor’s physique, calling it “the best bottom in the industry.” Emilia chimed in, adding that Haley Lu had shown her a picture of Connor’s bottom and it looked great.

Created by Jacob Tierney for Crave, the series Heated Rivalry is adapted from Rachel Reid’s Game Changers novels. The show centers on the competitive but secretly romantic relationship between two hockey players: Canadian Shane Hollander, played by Hudson Williams, and Russian Ilya Rozanov, played by Connor Storrie. The cast also features François Arnaud, Robbie G.K., Christina Chang, Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova, Sophie Nélisse, and Dylan Walsh.

@entertainmenttonight We fear we’re gonna be thinking about ‘Ponies’ co-stars Haley Lu Richardson and Emilia Clarke yapping about ‘Heated Rivalry’ for days. 😭 #haleylurichardson #emiliaclarke #ponies #heatedrivalry ♬ original sound – Entertainment Tonight

The show first debuted at the Image+Nation LGBTQ+ Film Festival in Montreal on November 23rd. It then became available online on Crave on November 28th, and later expanded to streaming platforms like HBO Max (in certain areas), Neon in New Zealand, and Movistar Plus+ in Spain.

The show received positive reviews for its script, direction, and the strong connection between the main actors. It rapidly became the most popular original series on Crave and the biggest debut for a non-animated, acquired show on HBO Max in over four years.

Heated Rivalry has been very well-received by critics. Rotten Tomatoes reports a 99% approval rating based on 72 reviews, with most critics praising its passionate and authentic portrayal of a queer romance, adapting Rachel Reid’s novels beautifully. Metacritic gave the show a score of 67 out of 100, also indicating generally positive reviews. A second season has been confirmed, set to arrive in December 2025.

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2026-01-18 16:50