Connor Storrie sexuality: François Arnaud sparks dating rumors

Connor Storrie has repeatedly declined to label his sexuality while the internet keeps pairing him with his older co-star François Arnaud. The two were photographed together at airports, fashion weeks, and late-night dinners, and the timing overlaps with Storrie’s breakout success on HBO Max’s Heated Rivalry. Those sightings are the only concrete facts feeding the current round of speculation.

Breakout role sparks first questions

Storrie plays closeted Russian hockey star Ilya Rozanov in the adaptation of Rachel Reid’s novels. The series premiered on Crave last November and landed on HBO Max in the U.S. shortly after, where clips of the explicit bedroom scenes quickly went viral.

Viewers noted the chemistry between Storrie and Hudson Williams, who plays his on-screen lover, but Williams publicly confirmed a longtime girlfriend in a Valentine’s post earlier this year. Attention then shifted to Arnaud, who plays another teammate and has been open about his bisexuality since 2020.

Storrie, 26, has said in multiple interviews that he intends to keep his dating life private. He grew up in Odessa, Texas, trained in gymnastics, and worked as a server in Los Angeles before landing the role after smaller parts in Riley and Joker: Folie à Deux.

Timeline of reported sightings

The first widely circulated photo appeared in January at JFK, showing Storrie and Arnaud arriving on the same flight from Toronto. Two weeks later they were photographed leaving a Burbank restaurant after midnight.

Paris Fashion Week in February produced another set of images: the pair attended the same Saint Laurent show where Storrie had been announced as an ambassador. Arnaud later joked on Instagram that he was “in a relationship with everyone” he had been photographed with that year.

They were also seen together at a Grammys after-party in March. No further joint appearances have surfaced since then, and both actors have continued separate promotional schedules for Season 2 of the series.

Arnaud’s direct responses

On Watch What Happens Live in January, Arnaud was asked if he was single and answered, “None of your fucking business.” The clip circulated on gossip accounts within hours.

When an Instagram follower pressed him about the rumors in September, Arnaud replied that he was dating everyone he had been photographed with that year. The comment was widely interpreted as sarcasm rather than confirmation.

Arnaud, 41, has also addressed online harassment from some younger fans who treat the actors’ private lives as extensions of the show. He told the Toronto Star that those fans “don’t really understand the difference between reality and fiction.”

Storrie’s consistent privacy stance

In December interviews with Gay Times and Deadline, Storrie stated that he had always expected a level of privacy once he entered the public eye. He emphasized the importance of the series’ queer representation without disclosing details about his own relationships.

Creator Jacob Tierney has dismissed questions about the actors’ sexualities as inappropriate. He told Xtra that the story matters more than any off-screen disclosure.

Storrie hosted SNL in February and received an Emmy nomination for the appearance, increasing his visibility and the volume of online speculation at the same time.

Fan communities and shipping culture

Online forums dedicated to the show have split between those who treat the rumored relationship as canon and others who argue that the actors deserve the same boundaries granted to straight celebrities. Hashtags pairing the actors’ names trend on TikTok after every new photo.

Some accounts have compiled side-by-side comparisons of the actors’ clothing and accessories in an effort to prove they share items. Others post edited clips from the series intercut with airport footage, blurring the line between fiction and reported sightings.

Arnaud has noted that much of the harassment comes from younger viewers who appear to conflate the show’s fictional relationships with real life. Moderators on several fan sites have begun removing doxxing attempts and repeated invasive questions.

Industry context for privacy

Actors in queer-led projects have faced similar scrutiny in recent years, particularly when their characters’ storylines mirror aspects of their personal lives. Publicists for both stars have declined to comment beyond the actors’ own statements.

Storrie’s upcoming slate includes two A24 features and continued promotion for Season 2, which begins filming next month in Vancouver. Arnaud is also attached to Hulu’s Count My Lies, giving each actor separate press cycles that rarely overlap.

Neither agency has issued a joint statement, and no representative has confirmed or denied a romantic relationship. Standard practice in these situations is to let the actors’ on-the-record comments stand.

Financial and career implications

Storrie’s rapid rise has included brand deals and magazine covers timed to the show’s awards push. Continued dating rumors can generate clicks, but they also risk overshadowing the work if they become the dominant storyline in every interview.

Arnaud, who has worked steadily since The Borgias, has largely avoided reality-show circuits and maintains a lower tabloid profile. His blunt answers on Watch What Happens Live suggest he is comfortable shutting down questions rather than playing along for engagement.

Season 2 is expected to expand both actors’ roles, which may increase rather than decrease public interest in their off-screen dynamic. The production has already scheduled a joint panel at next year’s ATX Television Festival.

Media coverage patterns

Outlets that initially reported the sightings framed them as “showmance” speculation rather than confirmed romance. Coverage cooled after Arnaud’s Instagram reply and has not reignited without new photographs.

Storrie’s decision to avoid labels has been compared to earlier generations of actors who waited until after major franchise roles to discuss their personal lives publicly. The difference now is the speed and volume of fan content that fills the silence.

Page Six and TMZ published the airport and dinner photos without additional sourcing, a standard approach when images are already circulating on social media. Neither publication has claimed confirmation of a relationship.

What the silence actually signals

Storrie and Arnaud have both chosen deflection or deflection-adjacent humor when asked about their personal lives. That pattern is consistent with industry norms for actors who do not wish to become ongoing gossip subjects.

The absence of any denial from representatives does not equal confirmation; it reflects a long-standing preference for letting public statements stand without elaboration. Fans looking for a definitive answer are unlikely to receive one from either actor.

Looking ahead

Season 2 will keep both actors in the same promotional orbit for at least another year. Any new joint appearances will likely restart the same cycle of speculation unless one of them chooses to address the rumors directly. For now, the record shows only photographs and two actors who have asked for privacy.