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“Heated Rivalry” stars Hudson Williams and François Arnaud hit back against the haters – after months of alleged online abuse.
The two actors took to Instagram on Monday and released a statement that appears to be aimed at fans of the show who have posted derogatory comments about the stars online.
“Don’t call yourself a fan if you spread racist/homophobic/biphobic/misogynistic/ageism/ableist/parasocial/bigoted comments of any kind,” the post said. “None of us need your hateful ‘love’.”
Cast stands together
While the pair didn’t explain what led to their shared post made via the Notes app, they did emphasize that the cast “respects, supports and loves each other and are all pulling in the same direction.” The stars added: “If you can’t accept this, gtfoh” – an acronym that tells someone to leave in a less-than-polite way.
Williams and Arnaud’s message was shared by co-star Robbie Graham-Kuntz on his Instagram Stories, with the “Kip” actor adding a heart emoji next to their words. Show creator Jacob Tierney and author Rachel Reid, who wrote the original “Heated Rivalry” books, also shared the news. Connor Storrie, who plays Williams’ counterpart on the show, had not posted anything at the time of this article.
The meteoric rise of “Heated Rivalry” has catapulted the entire cast into the spotlight and led to intense public attention dissecting everything from the actors’ personal lives to their interactions online and off.
Paparazzi and celebrity hype
The cast has now become an integral part of the paparazzi world. Williams was recently photographed partying at Paris Fashion Week after attending the Balenciaga show, while Storrie was mobbed by fans and photographers in New York following his recent hosting gig on Saturday Night Live (where Williams also made a cameo).
Despite the rumors online, there is no sign of drama among the cast members, who have publicly expressed their support for one another in TV appearances and magazine interviews. Storrie (who plays Ilya Rozanov) most recently joined Arnaud, Nadine Bhabha (Elena), Christina Chang (Yuna Hollander), Graham-Kuntz, and executive producers Brendan Brady and Jacob Tierney on stage at the 37th GLAAD Media Awards, where “Heated Rivalry” won Outstanding New TV Series.
