Hudson Williams grapples with hockey overlap while drafting new movie

Hudson Williams is writing a new movie that features an ex‑hockey player, but he says the idea keeps getting tangled with the hockey storyline of his recent series "Heated Rivalry." The actor explained that the character feels right as a former player, even though he considered other sports to avoid overlap with the series. He described the creative block as having to break through "the prison of your own mind." Williams first gained wide recognition from a Canadian queer‑hockey romance that became a hit last year. Before that breakthrough, he wrote and directed short films such as "Soakers," "Buttons" and "Inside Augustine Mendoza's Quotidian Apartment." The interview with Entertainment Weekly was conducted while he promotes "Yaga," the Canadian witch‑detective thriller that premiered on October 23. In the same conversation he joked about co‑star Carrie‑Anne Moss objecting to a nod to Keanu Reeves’ "John Wick" franchise. Beyond the new script, Williams is busy with several upcoming projects. Production on the second season of "Heated Rivalry" began in August. He will appear in the dark comedic thriller "Apparatus" alongside Dylan O'Brien, and in the ensemble culinary thriller "Tyrant" with Charlize Theron, Julia Garner, Demi Moore and Omar Apollo.

Context

Williams’s work often blends sport and queer themes, a niche that helped him stand out after his breakout film. The current hesitation shows how actors can wrestle with type‑casting when new roles echo past successes.