Milla Jovovich, Kevin Zegers and Paul Gross Join ‘Heated Rivalry’ Season 2

Heated Rivalry Season 2 Milla Jovovich casting is now official, with the actress joining Kevin Zegers and Paul Gross in three newly confirmed roles for the next installment of the hit hockey romance. Crave announced the additions on September 3 as production continues toward a planned spring 2027 premiere.

Crave parent Bell Media confirmed the new cast members, identifying Jovovich as Dr. Galina Molchalina, Zegers as Coach Wiebe and Gross as Commissioner Roger Crowell. They join returning leads Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie as the series expands the world around Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov.

Heated Rivalry Season 2 adds three key characters

Jovovich’s Dr. Galina Molchalina enters Ilya’s storyline as a Russian-speaking therapist, giving the second season a character connected directly to his emotional life away from hockey. The role marks a notable television addition for an actress best known for films including The Fifth Element and the Resident Evil franchise.

Zegers will portray Coach Wiebe, the coach connected to Ilya’s new Ottawa team. The character comes from Rachel Reid’s Game Changers novels, which form the basis of the television series.

Gross has been cast as Commissioner Roger Crowell, the head of the fictional professional hockey league. TheWrap independently confirmed all three roles along with the show’s planned spring 2027 return.

Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie remain at the center

The new additions do not change the central pairing that drove the first season. Williams returns as Shane Hollander and Storrie as Ilya Rozanov, rival professional hockey players whose relationship develops behind the public expectations surrounding their careers.

Season 2 is expected to continue adapting Reid’s books while broadening the number of characters surrounding Shane and Ilya. Previously announced newcomers include Justice Smith, Charlie Gillespie, Daniel Diemer, Shaheen Jafargholi, Emily Hampshire, Sabrina Jalees and others.

Entertainment Weekly reported that the new season will draw heavily from The Long Game, while also incorporating elements from other books in Reid’s series.

Returning performers include Sophie Nélisse, Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova, François Arnaud, Christina Chang, Dylan Walsh, Robbie G.K., Callan Potter, Benjamin Roy and Kamilla Kowal, according to Bell Media’s announcement.

The series is expanding after a breakout first season

Heated Rivalry began as a Crave Original and quickly developed an international audience through distribution that includes HBO Max in the United States. Its blend of professional sports, romance and the pressures surrounding closeted athletes helped distinguish the series within the increasingly crowded streaming drama market.

The second season is being produced by Accent Aigu Entertainment in association with Bell Media’s Crave. Creator Jacob Tierney remains writer, director and executive producer, with Rachel Reid serving as a consulting producer.

ABC Audio also confirmed the September 3 casting announcement, including the roles for Jovovich, Zegers and Gross and the planned spring 2027 HBO Max premiere in the United States.

Milla Jovovich gives Season 2 its biggest new star name

Among the newly announced performers, Jovovich brings the most extensive international film profile. Her casting gives Heated Rivalry a recognizable genre-film name while placing her in a character-driven supporting role rather than an action-centered one.

Zegers brings television and film credits that include Gossip Girl, Transamerica and The Madison, while Gross has a long career across Canadian television, film and theater.

The combination suggests that Season 2 is not simply adding recognizable names. Each new performer is attached to a character who can materially affect Ilya and Shane’s professional or personal lives as their relationship develops.

Spring 2027 remains the target

Crave has not announced an exact premiere date, but the network continues to identify spring 2027 as the release window. Production is already underway in Canada.

Additional casting could still be announced before the season arrives, but September 3 delivered three of the most significant additions so far.

With Jovovich taking on Dr. Galina Molchalina, Zegers stepping in as Coach Wiebe and Gross playing Commissioner Crowell, the Heated Rivalry Season 2 Milla Jovovich announcement gives a clearer picture of how the drama plans to expand beyond the central romance without moving away from it.