In every way where it matters, Heated Rivarly took the world by storm at the end of last year, and we haven’t looked back since. Jacob Tierney’s gorgeously adapted queer romance from Rachel Reid’s Game Changer series brought in viewership from both die-hard genre fans and those who picked up the books afterward, resulting in the kind of triumph that’s acutely rare in the industry. With it, leading stars Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams rose to fame, ending up on multiple Best of the Year lists (including ours), and garnering tremendous demand for their next roles.
However, because the series is a Canadian production, it unfortunately isn’t eligible for the Emmy Awards. Still, from the TCA’s to the GLAAD Media Awards, Heated Rivalry isn’t lacking in nominations where they’re eligible. Yet, it’s indeed a huge triumph that Connor Storrie is nominated for his Guest Appearance on Saturday Night Live.
It’s a big deal when we take into consideration the fact that industry legends also host SNL, and for Storrie to take this nomination after his first time is a remarkable showcase of his talents. Recently, he even had a guest role in Criminal Minds Evolution, where his performance is praised by Fangirlish and countless other outlets for the incomparable range he brings to the forefront.
And here’s the thing: it’s not that acting in a drama is easy, but people often misunderstand just how hard it is to nail comedic timing and to do so organically. In many ways, it’s harder, and it’s why there aren’t many actors who tend to do both. Still, it’s obvious from the moment he steps into Ilya Rozanov’s shoes that Storrie’s going to go far as an actor, but for him to also showcase his comedic chops and do so as brilliantly as he does? That’s more of a rarity. It’s a triumph. Full stop.
In more ways than one, Storrie (and Hudson) are just getting started. Both actors have so much greatness in them, but to see a nomination this early in his career for a guest role like this is huge. It’s hope in the industry that the right people are paying attention to the performances that matter.
It’s often frustrating when nominations come through, and year after year, you see the same faces, knowing that other actors are also bringing their A-game. Yet, for a moment, Storrie’s nomination gives me hope that the industry could continue to evolve by recognizing tremendous talent right off the bat. We didn’t have to wait years and years for him to prove his worth because that’s exactly what he does in Heated Rivalry and on SNL. It’s likely what he’ll continue to do in his newest projects, Halina Reijn’s Please and Molly Gordon’s Peaked.
This is an excellent beginning for him, and it’s a hopeful reminder of the fact that when an actor gets recognized like this, it could open all the right doors that’ll lead them toward incredible properties where they can continue to deliver their A-game.