Haley Lu Richardson’s NSFW Take on ‘Heated Rivalry’ Leaves Emilia Clarke in Stitches
Haley Lu Richardson got everyone laughing with her brutally honest take on the popular hockey romance series Heated Rivalry, and even Emilia Clarke couldn’t contain herself. The two actresses spoke with Entertainment Tonight to promote their new Peacock series PONIES, and naturally, the conversation turned to the hit show.
Haley Lu didn’t hold back when discussing the show’s star, Connor Storrie. “Make sure everything is charged… I’m referring to vibra****,” she joked. Emilia Clarke gasped, “Oh my god. What you said… I’m not going to say on TV.”
Haley Lu replied with complete candor, “What did I say? That my cli***** still hurts? It does! Still to this day. A week later.” The two continued teasing each other, with Haley Lu praising Connor’s physique: “Best bottom. Best bottom in the industry.” Emilia added, “She showed me a screengrab of Connor’s bottom and it looks wonderful.”
Heated Rivalry, created, written, and directed by Jacob Tierney for Crave, is based on Rachel Reid’s Game Changers novels. The show follows two rival hockey players, Canadian Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Russian Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie), whose intense on-ice competition masks a secret romance. The cast also includes François Arnaud, Robbie G.K., Christina Chang, Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova, Sophie Nélisse, and Dylan Walsh.
@entertainmenttonight We fear we're gonna be thinking about 'Ponies' co-stars Haley Lu Richardson and Emilia Clarke yapping about 'Heated Rivalry' for days. 😭 #haleylurichardson #emiliaclarke #ponies #heatedrivalry ♬ original sound – Entertainment Tonight
The series premiered at the Image+Nation LGBTQ+ Film Festival in Montreal on November 23, before launching online on Crave on November 28. It later became available on HBO Max in select regions, Neon in New Zealand, and Movistar Plus+ in Spain.
Critics praised the show for its writing, directing, and the chemistry between the leads. It quickly became Crave’s most-watched original series and HBO Max’s top debut for an acquired, non-animated show since 2019.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the show holds a 99% positive score from 72 critics, with the consensus reading: “Jacob Tierney lovingly adapts Rachel Reid’s hockey-set romance novels into an all-consuming, steamy, dreamy love fest of true queer intent, making Heated Rivalry a bona fide winner.” Metacritic gave it a score of 67 out of 100, indicating generally favorable reviews. The series was renewed for a second season in December 2025.
It’s clear Haley Lu Richardson’s candid reaction only adds to the show’s buzz. Her playful NSFW comments and Emilia Clarke’s laughter perfectly capture the fun, flirty energy that Heated Rivalry brings to screens. What do you think—should everyone be talking about Connor’s “best bottom” too? Share your thoughts in the comments.