Heated Rivalry star Hudson Williams has attracted controversy over a resurfaced photo with a swastika drawn on his face.
The actor, who broke out last year as Shane Hollander in the Canadian romantic sports drama, is seen in the picture with a variety of sharpie drawings on his face, which reportedly dates back to his high school days.
According to TMZ, drawings on the face are part of the ‘campout’ tradition among Canadian teenagers. However, among the markings seen on Williams in the image of a swastika, associated with the Nazi Party.
‘Heated Rivalry’ star Hudson Williams was unaware a swastika had been drawn on his face in resurfaced photos from his high school years, sources tell TMZ. pic.twitter.com/lmoUdCgtZl
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) June 7, 2026
TMZ reports that the drawing was a result of drunk teenagers doing “dumb things” and scribbling inappropriate images on one another in an attempt to stir shock reactions, and that the actor was unaware of what was being drawn on his face at the time.
“The markings do not and have never reflected Hudson’s beliefs, values, or character,” a friend told the site.
According to sources around Williams, the actor expresses deep regret and is aware of the hurt and disappointment. They also stress that he does not condone or support the marking, and recognises its seriousness.
Heated Rivalry premiered in 2025 and has quickly become a cultural phenomenon. Based on the Game Changers book series by Rachel Reid, the story focuses on the secret affair between rival ice hockey players Shane Hollander ( Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie).
The show is preparing for a second season, which is due to start filming this summer and will adapt the book The Long Game.
Opening up about the second season, creator Jacob Tierney previously teased: “What do you do after the rush of danger is gone and yet now you have to live in a relationship where you still aren’t communicating properly, much as you would like to?
“You can say you love each other, but as adults know, there’s so much more than that to make a relationship successful. And that is what they’re learning.”
NME has reached out to Williams’s representatives for comment.