Where Does Connor Storrie Go After ‘Heated Rivalry’?
Connor Storrie went from serving tables in Culver City to fronting the hockey romance that dominated HBO Max charts. The question now is where the 26-year-old lands once Season 2 of Heated Rivalry wraps.
Three-season commitment
Storrie signed for three seasons before Season 1 even premiered. That deal keeps him tied to Ilya Rozanov through spring 2028 at least.
Season 2 filming started in August 2026 in Ontario and expands Russian-language scenes in Moscow. The schedule runs parallel to film offers that landed after the first run.
Producers increased the budget and added new cast members, signaling network confidence in the franchise’s staying power.
Network guest arc
Storrie filmed a four-episode arc on Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 19 as Lance Kingston. The episodes aired in May 2026 and tested his range outside romance.
The role required minimal skating but maximum procedural tone. Early reviews noted his shift from romantic lead to suspect in a serial case.
Network executives reportedly floated longer arcs if the numbers held, giving Storrie a potential back-up lane in broadcast TV.
Feature lead debut
His first post-breakout film lead is the psychological sci-fi thriller April X, due in September 2026. He stars opposite Lilly Krug under director Michel K. Parandi.
Storrie trained for zero-gravity sequences and learned basic Russian again for a subplot set on a failing space station.
Insiders say the part came through an A24 connection that surfaced after his SNL hosting turn, marking the first studio-level offer since the waiter days.
Charity platform
Storrie and co-star Hudson Williams appeared unannounced at the Global Summit for Women’s Mental Health in September 2026 to launch the real-world Irina Foundation.
The charity mirrors the show’s fictional fund for queer athletes and has already booked Storrie for three campus speaking dates in early 2027.
Publicists frame the appearances as brand extension rather than distraction, keeping the actor visible between Season 2 production blocks.
Directorial debut
Before Christmas 2025 Storrie wrapped Transaction Planet, a micro-budget feature shot entirely on iPhone. He wrote, directed, and stars.
The project screened privately at the Directors Guild in February 2026 and is now seeking distribution.
Storrie has said he wants to swing big rather than chase safe follow-ups, and the DIY film serves as proof of that intent.
Brand deals and fashion
Saint Laurent named Storrie a global ambassador in January 2026, the first menswear campaign since his Instagram following jumped from thousands to six figures in a week.
The contract includes runway appearances at both Paris and New York men’s weeks, adding another calendar layer to an already packed 2027.
Styling teams have kept the hockey-star aesthetic in public outings, reinforcing the Heated Rivalry image while the next scripted season films.
Emmy and late-night profile
Storrie’s February 2026 SNL hosting stint earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series.
The monologue leaned on his Texas upbringing and Russian accent work, giving late-night viewers a shorthand for the breakout narrative.
Producers have already floated a return appearance timed to the Season 2 premiere in spring 2027.
Additional scripts in play
Storrie is circling A24’s Please with Gracie Abrams and Tom Burke, plus a possible Molly Gordon comedy still in early development.
Craig Zobel’s Turpentine opposite Melissa McCarthy remains in negotiation, as does an updated The Bell Jar adaptation.
His agents have said the goal is one prestige lead and one studio tentpole per year once Season 2 obligations ease.
Charity and representation
Storrie has used press stops to advocate for on-set intimacy coordinators and mental-health resources for cast and crew, extending the show’s themes off-screen.
The Irina Foundation’s first grant cycle will fund LGBTQ sports programs in three provinces, announced at the same summit where Storrie appeared.
Industry watchers see the move as strategic positioning for an actor whose audience spans both streaming romance fans and awards voters.
Next chapter
With Season 2 locked, April X in post, and multiple features circling, Connor Storrie’s 2027 calendar looks less like a sophomore slump and more like a calculated split between franchise stability and genre expansion. The waiter-to-star timeline compressed into eighteen months, but the next phase hinges on whether he can keep the same pace without repeating the same story.
