Good News: ‘Heated Rivalry’ Season 2 Just Cast Its Ryan and Fabain

Move over, Shane and Ilya: a new couple is joining Heated Rivalry for season 2! Actually, before that causes a panic: Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams aren’t going anywhere; there are just some new faces joining for the upcoming season, including a new romance between a hockey player and a musician. Shaheen Jafargholi and Daniel Diemer have been cast as Fabian Salah and Ryan Price, whose love story will be featured next season alongside the many other couples in Rachel Reid’s Game Changers universe, including Shane and Ilya, Scott and Kip (played by François Arnaud and Robbie G.K.), and Troy and Harris (to be played by Charlie Gillespie and Justice Smith).While season 1 of Heated Rivalry was based primarily on the second book in Rachel’s series, Heated Rivalry, it seems season 2 will mix a few of the books together. The Hollywood Reporter previously reported that season 2 will be adapted from book six, The Long Game, with aspects of book five, Role Model. But, with the new casting news, it may also include aspects from book three, Tough Guy—or at least characters from the book, which focuses on Ryan and Fabian. In addition to Shaheen and Daniel, Schitt’s Creek alum Emily Hampshire and Canada’s Drag Race winner Priyanka were recently cast as Vanessa and Tarek, friends of Fabian’s who are also characters from Tough Guy.Here’s a quick book description in case you aren’t already obsessed with Ryan and Fabian’s story:“Pro hockey star Ryan Price may be an enforcer, but off the ice he struggles with anxiety. Recently traded to Toronto, he’s determined to make a fresh start in the city’s dynamic LGBTQ+ Village. The last thing he expects to find in his new neighborhood is a blast from his past in the fabulous form of Fabian Salah. Aspiring musician Fabian loathes hockey. But that doesn’t stop him from being attracted to a certain burly ginger-bearded defenseman. He hasn’t forgotten the kiss they almost shared back in high school, and the chemistry between them has only intensified. Fabian is more than happy to be Ryan’s guide to the gay scene in Toronto. Between dance clubs and art exhibits—and the most amazing sex—Ryan’s feeling something he hasn’t experienced in a long time: joy. But playing the role of the heavy on the ice has taken its toll on his body and mind, and a future with Fabian may mean hanging up his skates for good.”“Fabian and Ryan each bring a distinctive energy to the world Rachel Reid has created,” series creator Jacob Tierney and executive producer Brendan Brady said in a statement to Entertainment Weekly. “They are bold, complicated, and deeply compelling characters, and finding actors who could really take on all of those different sides was so important to us. Daniel and Shaheen bring such confidence and emotional honesty to the roles. We can’t wait for audiences to see what they do with Fabian and Ryan and how they make these characters their own.”Want to learn more about Daniel and Shaheen in the meantime? Keep reading.Daniel Diemer as Ryan PricePablo Cuadra//Getty ImagesDaniel plays Ryan Price, a hockey player who is on the Toronto Guardians and the Ottawa Centaurs in the books. He’s also Fabian’s boyfriend. According to EW, Ryan may be introduced in season 2 as a coach at the summer camp that Ilya and Shane start together.Add Cosmopolitan as a preferred source in your Google search results.Use your Google account to add this to your settings.Daniel is best known for his roles in the Netflix movie The Half of It and in the Disney+ series Percy Jackson and the Olympians. The Canadian actor also had roles in the shows Under the Bridge and The Man in the High Castle and in the movies Brazen and Absolution.Shaheen Jafargholi as Fabian SalahTristan Fewings//Getty ImagesShaheen will play Fabian Salah, a popular Toronto musician who is in a relationship with Ryan.Shaheen is a Welsh actor whose projects include the British series EastEnders, Casualty, and In Flight. Given his role in Heated Rivalry, it makes sense that Shaheen has a musical background in real life. He participated in Britain’s Got Talent as a singer in 2009 when he was only 12 years old. The now 29-year-old made it to the final, finishing in seventh place.Reacting to the casting news, Shaheen posted an article about the announcement and a selfie on Instagram and captioned his post simply, “gag it.”