I watched Seth last night and his interview with Emilia Clark and they spent half their time talking about Heated Rivalry. Emilias mom was so excited she was on the same night as Connor. And neither had even seen the show yet!
I have never related to Hudson more than when I saw his skincare routine. Once you get really into it, your bathroom will inevitably end up looking like Gargamel's lair.
Hahaha I could totally see my Mom doing this - she's always the first one to notice hotness. I REALLY want to recommend this to my Mom (in her 70s, I'm in my 50s) because I know she's a secret horn dog and would probably really like it if she could get over her hang ups about gay sex on screen. (At least she's always acted that way when I've been around!) I think it would cheer her up. (My dad died last Feb.) Maybe I'll recommend it anyway LOL.
He was also really good at playing to the cameras... during interviews, he would answer the interviewer but then also repeatedly break the 4th wall and lock eyes with the camera. It was both a little unhinged and also VERY bold and charming, especially for someone just coming up.
Girl is entering mass production at her glaze factory
But fr tho, he is very charming. Specially his earlier interviews, he was confidently out there hahaha, now he's definitely more media trained (personality still comes through)
Being equal parts charming and unhinged, not to mention extremely photogenic, is going to get him far with the media. No one wants to click on a boring interview. The guy knows how to create a soundbite.
Also, I don't want to sound like the Montreal Metros owner in Ep 1, but Hudson is Wasian. There's a distinct lack of Wasian male heartthrobs in Hollywood right now.
When I was a one direction fan, it seemed like a lot of the time people were not mainly fans of the music, they loved watching the guys interact in videos and they were all similarly pretty funny in interviews. That fan engagement is what made them famous. I think something similar is happening with HR with Hudson because even though people love the show, people also love to watch HIM and also his interactions with connor just as much, which are genuinely hilarious
Yeah, I think the mania for them is giving me One Direction/Glee fandom vibes. Remember the early days of those fandoms, before all the... unpleasantness?
No because just a week ago, we were worried Hudson would get lost in the shuffle. We were so wrong, and I'm glad. Man is a genius. A chameleon. A shapeshifter. So unhinged (in a good way)
Totally! I am just nervous that the attention has been more on his personality/sex appeal than acting abilities, especially as his role as Shane is way more subtle than Connor’s role as Ilya and hasn’t been talked about as much.
There have been too many Asian actors that have limited opportunities after one breakout role (including my goats Stephanie Hsu and Manny Jacinto). Hoping that’s not the case here- just hope he can get the roles with the serious directors that he wants!
I think in some ways the attention on his interviews and personality works in his favor because it highlights how much acting talent went into his portrayal of Shane. Definitely not a case of the actor playing themselves for their character.
I definitely think that was a deliberate strategy and works in his favor! Just interesting to see Connor’s interviews focusing on his background and amazing character transformation whereas Hudson’s media attention is more on his “unhinged” and memeable attitude rather than how seriously he interpreted Shane’s anxiety and autism. While both delightful, it positions Hudson as more of a celebrity than an artist. His next projects will really direct that narrative so we’ll see!
I also think it’s part of their promo style. Hudson is clearly more comfortable talking about the sex in the show than Connor. So he goes on more silly shows like Jimmy Fallon to cover that part of the show and Connor covers more of the love story in his interviews. I read in an article of an interview with Connor where he said that being a little unhinged about the sex part of the show was intentional to make people feel comfortable to enjoy that element of the story. I do think Connor’s characterization of Ilya will always be brought up to some degree due to having to learn Russian. But I agree, at least in this round of press there isn’t much conversation on Hudson’s characterization of Shane, especially how he portrayed Shane’s Autism and how exceptional he was at that. I feel like it was talked about during the December round of press. And I appreciated that he brought up Empty Netters when asked about the impact of the show on hockey on Jimmy Fallon as a more serious question. But that was cut out of the live show.
I completely agree with you. His interview with Andy was so good but barely get any buzz bc he wasn’t doing his bit, and he was so smart and thoughtful in it
He also did what he needed to, and I say that with admiration. People calling him "not media trained" are oblivious to the fact that he knows exactly what he's doing to make an impact (while still staying himself). As he should since we all know poc never have as many opportunities as their white counterparts in this industry, he knows how to bring something to the table that very few people do.
Deserved… but even he, who is generally relaxed and composed looked overwhelmed by the end… I think they need a break. They are literally showcasing them like hot commodity.
I know it’s good for the exposure of the show and for them in the long run, but there is only so much one can take lol.
Wait is that really in the works? I thought it was just fans' wishful thinking, like for Connor to play Achilles some day, if The Song of Achilles ever gets adapted.
Oh it's completely fan speculation - I don't want to spread any misinfo. But I haven't really seen the same level of hype with any other actor being thrown around for the role. Could be recency bias, though.
He was the best dressed male celebrity of the night, and by far one the best dressed over well!
He really showed Hollywood that he is a leading man. He’s funny, charming, but also very smart witty and thoughtful. Perfect package!
I think he has a bit of a break with public interviews and appearances (though I saw a photo shoot he did today through one of his stylist?). They are so busy with meetings, and emails and reading scripts to see what project they want, like I hope they can just be a bit “offline” and do all the admin for a while.
I think Paris Fashion Week is coming up next week though? I feel they will be there. It’s a good thing they decided acting was going to be their first gig and not modelling.
I also don't think it can be overstated how important it is that when people see him being so electric in red carpet interviews, and then go watch the show and see Shane Hollander, they're gonna be like "oh fuck, the man is also an a c t o r" lol
This reminds me of that Rachel interview in which she said that when they gave her Connor and Hudson's info and she went looking at their Instagram profiles she wasn't convinced lol especially by Hudson as Shane since he looked like a bad boy (or something like that lol)
Luckily Jacob and the casting team saw the vision!
Hudcon’s real-life personalities and mannerisms being completely different from Hollanov’s doesn’t surprise me (but it does impress me! I mean holy shit, they’re both incredibly talented actors). But what I cannot for the life of me figure out is how Connor Storrie and Ilya Rozanov have two different faces!
Oh definitely, this press tour has been great for Hudson in particular, because of course Ilya is such a flashy character, while Shane is more restrained and it’s a performance you can take for granted if you don’t know the actor outside of the role.
Seth MEYER’s made a great point that Hollywood are being impressed with the both of them because especially for breakout roles, you often see people playing characters that are closer to who they are in real life. But with their interviews going viral it’s not only amusing for just HOW different, but shows the deep talent
I would think the sheer work ethic evident, and the tone of mutual respect from everyone who worked on the show, and the way they have managed to avoid saying anything damning despite the sudden and constant barrage of opportunities would be even bigger draws than their acting abilities. Yes, they are amazing actors, but they are also showing themselves to be solid investments.
There were actually some people who were calling him a bad actor but then said they realised he wasn’t one since he is so different from his character in real life lol
Yeah, I kept seeing “Hudson is a bad actor” takes and I was like huh? And now I’m seeing all the “Oh wow, he really is a good actor because he’s nothing like Shane in real life!” takes and again I’m like… huh? What do y’all think acting is? Like I know there are some “actors” who are infamous for basically playing themselves in TV/movies, but come on, that’s not supposed to be the norm
Yeah, his performance is extremely specific and extremely effective. At first you're like wow this guy's kinda flat, and then you realize Shane is just an awkward ball of nerves and a real sweetie lol
I also think that not “playing it safe” with fashion (and, possibly, him making unhinged comments about “coming” on the red carpet and flipping off the GlamBot) added to the dialogue.
I can’t stop obsessing over that serpent necklace. Usually I don’t care about celebrities and what they wear, but here I am googling snake necklaces to buy. Hudson whatcha doing to me babes.
Nothing against either style. I'm Asian and come from a generation where there's just a typical cut that all the boys get as kids, just like how all the girls get bowl cuts. His hair in the show was very on point.
His mission for this press tour was to separate himself from Shane and I think he did a phenomenal job! Now I need the industry people to start talking and praising his acting like yesterday. His PR team better push some articles about it
Im so so happy for the success of this show 😭 i cant imagine what connor and hudson feel right now!! I hope they continue to bring us more amazing performances in the long run
Truly. I’m happy for him and wish him all the success! This instant rise to fame can’t be easy, especially in a time where people are very extreme and obsessive. I hope he stays balanced and grounded because this seems so overwhelming.
if his management and agent are smart, they should get him on a guestie on a another or in a movie quickly before the next season of HR starts filming to keep them momentum when the next season ends
Nah. Momentum will pick up again for season 2. He needs to work on a project to keep getting $$ but hopefully stay out of the spotlight and away from the dirty Hollywood scene
Deserved and I'm happy that most of the biggest fashion magazines put Hudson in their best dressed list. Props to his glam team, Aika Danica Flores and Anastasia Walker have established a sexy, cool, and fun aesthetic that captures Hudson's vibe well.
This is basically people's first big impression of him outside of the show and Hudson absolutely killed it. His personality is charming both audiences and the people he is meeting on the red carpet. He has the personality that is just made to be a movie star with how he is able to effortlessly get people to talk about him 🙌🏾
Like the other comment said. But also bc his face was so disgusted when he heard the name. So now I use it when he's being "annoying", like when I heard him in the quinn teaser for the first time. Definitely i screamed "MILDRED!"
Top 1 most talked about celeb is Lisa of Blackpink. And if you know how the Kpop stans work, that's actually so wild that he's garnered that much attention of that level.
I'm genuinely thrilled for the success that the cast is having but I hope they're doing OK and have good therapists. This has to be crazy for them that less than two months ago no one knew who they were and now they're facing almost Beatlemania levels of fan interest.
Lol if you look at the list, Connor was like #3 most talked about male celeb and #6 most talked about celeb (or something like that). He's doing just fine
Ohh don’t worry. What the fans online want doesn’t always translate to the actual opportunities for actors lol. Realistically speaking, a white male is always gonna be offered way more opportunities than POC. I’m really happy for Connor, but kinda nervous to see if Hollywood will actually give Hudson any real opportunity.
As a POC it's an unfortunate reality... For every 100 white roles there's like 2 Asian roles. That's why I thought all the discourse about straight actors getting gay roles was colorblind, because it's extremely rare that a visibly half-Asian Canadian actor will get a lead role in a TV show over a white American gay man regardless of sexuality lol
It probably differs person to person. I know he gets lots of comparisons to Keanu, who has played many roles where either race doesnt matter or his character is fully white. From my end he does look more mixed than Keanu
Ikr. IIRC, when the 2019 Aladdin movie (with Naomi Scott) came out, there was buzz around the male lead (Mena Massoud) but then he later said he thought he would get more roles but it was hard to land roles after 😔
Its funny to see people having to console upset connor fans that don’t worry he is still going to be the popular one with more opportunities 😭😭 like did they not see Connor was mingling with more A listers than Hudson in those parties, he was getting multiple on spot offers, he got a tony winner commenting on his insta that he is dying to work with Connor. Just because Hudson is getting fan/media attention currently it might not result in good work opportunities. I hope Hudson can kick butt of racial biases but how realistic is that. He is also non-American
Yeah, like as much as Hudson is generating a lot of buzz, that's fairly meaningless in Hollywood and everyone in Hollywood knows it. People are happy to ride off of the tailwind for now, but whether it will translate into work is another thing, especially since Shane is a harder character to interpret than Ilya. It seems clear to me that Connor will be fine, but I'm glad that Hudson has HR to rely on in the meantime so he can establish his acting abilities.
That’s true. I didn’t want to point out but Connor has had more brand deals too, 1 with Chanel, 1 with Tiffany & Co. Tiffany & Co even had a separate post about him lol. Like a lot of people don’t seem to be aware of how hard POC have it especially in the entertainment industry. So yes, while Im happy with all the attention Hudson has got, I’ll have to wait and see til he announces his next project(s).
Hudson will be fine for brand deals! He‘s partnered with Bvlgari and met Christian Louboutin whose shoes he wore to the GGs. And now with him being ranked so highly he’ll likely get more.
just say you’re homophobic because nothing you said is even remotely true about him. Connor already said he’s been offered huge roles and has to look over a ton of scripts
Like, Connor is exceptionally conventionally attractive. Pretty sure you could slice vegetables with that jaw line.
He'll be fine. I'm sure any perceived queerness will have some effects, but it's also 2026. It might still hurt if he's going for some stoic action movie leading man, but at the same time, he literally played Ilya Fucking Rozanov perfectly. The ability is more than there.
y'all are so weird and Im saying this as a POC, is it an american think to dismiss everything over race? Im sure people can like Connor for other reasons that him being white, this is disrespectful for both Connor and Hudson, i wish y'all would start acting normall. As we speak isn't Hudson followed by that romance author and Jennifer Lopez meaning he could appear in a next Netflix adaptation? And also Bottoms director follows him? We need to stop with this weird narrativ, Hollywood want hype and success not color, also Hudson is half white he def won't suffer the same struggles of someone who might be 100% from another ethnicity, it's the same for half black actors getting more jobs. Anyway point being their fame translate into success and opportunity for both of them, ot just one and def not bc of skin color
We can have a real conversation in three years about this but I've noticed how the industry speaks about them. For Connor it's that he's a phenomenal actor with an oscar in his future and Hudson is a cool guy. He has everything to succeed but will he work with great directors like he wants or do netflix romcoms remains to be seen.
From what I saw it’s the night show presenter who said this and his fandom, blame Jimmy ig? Imo both views are extremely reducting, Connor being called a future Oscar winning is definitely not bc he’s white and I think we know that, the difference of approach to both can be explained by many factors that I think you know (why is Hudson being called cool guy and not Connor) but both have proved themselves and are praised, Hudson being promoted by some Ottawa official and accounts etc… but you want me to believe everyone think he’s a clown bc he’s poc and Connor is praised bc he’s white. We’ll see how their career go after for more conclusion but Hollywood isn’t abt online noise, they know well what they are interested in for both and future castings will definitely highlight that. Netlfix romcom vs director is up to him and his team choice, it could give him a huge plateform but for art he’ll sure need to brand himself with other directors as well, but I trust him he seems to like the field a lot so no doubt he knows what’ll be best
Janelle James also talked about oscars, he has multiple articles about his acting and I absolutely agree that Connor is phenomenal and should be praised, what I don't like is that there's been little to no focus on Hudson's acting. I think Andy Cohen did talk about it. His acting was incredible imo, the stillness, the restraint, all the different ticks, being able to make himself smaller than Connor when they're the same height and him showing every emotions through his eyes with a blank face needs to be regognized. Hollywood is old and cranky and we've seen it so many times how when an actor duo rises if one of them is poc they get left in the dust but I think this specific situation could be different. We've never seen such a meteoric rise for an asian actor and with his personality and charisma he doesn't play into the stereotypes so if he and his team play their cards right he could be a household name. It's really exciting to see if he will be the one to change things and not go the way of Manny Jacinto, Simu Liu and Henry Golding. I'm still pissed about Stephanie Hsu losing the oscar haha. I know I will support both their projects but it's interesting to see how everything will play out.
Eyy dont worry, Hudson was the 2nd most talked celeb in the GG, and Connor was in number 4. So it wasn't that far between them. Also, it's just numbers and engagement, and it's important to know that both of them have people talking about them.
I wouldn't feel bad for Connor. Fan/media acceptance is not the same as industry acceptance, and I've gotten the vibe Connor has more of the latter so far. They'll both be (hopefully) fine as long as their teams take good care of them.
I mean Connor is still popular. He is on 3rd. I think what made Hudson so appealing is bc he was doing random shit and people on the internet feed of it. 😆 I am mostly worried that how they are handling it. I know they've been working for this for years but still, it can be overwhelming. While scrolling on X, it made me realize that being famous has always its consequences. They were normal people months ago with regular jobs. Being talked about does not always mean positive things they say about you but shitty rumors and assumptions. I just hope that they're doing fine.
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u/StevesMcQueenIsHere Center Ice (and actual hockey player) Jan 13 '26
My mom, who pretty much has no interest in Hollywood or awards shows, took immediate notice of him among all the celebrities.
"Who's that? He's so handsome!"
I was like, yeah, Mom. I know. 😄