Daniel Diemer joins Heated Rivalry season 2 as Ryan Price
Daniel Diemer has joined the cast of Heated Rivalry season 2, starring as Ryan Price alongside Shaheen Jafargholi as Fabian Salah. The Percy Jackson actor expands the LGBTQIA ice hockey drama’s leading lineup for a spring 2027 launch on Crave and HBO. The move follows Season 1’s breakout run as HBO’s highest-ratings acquisition and widens the series’ central roster.
Key Takeaways
- Daniel Diemer will play Ryan Price; Shaheen Jafargholi portrays Fabian Salah.
- They join Hudson Williams, Connor Storrie, Justice Smith, and Charlie Gillespie in leading roles.
- Season 2 is set for spring 2027 on Crave in Canada and HBO in the U.S.
- Emily Hampshire, Edvin Ryding, Robert Naylor, and Sabrina Jalees are also among the new cast.
- Co-creators Jacob Tierney and Brendan Brady praised both actors’ confidence and emotional honesty.
Who is Daniel Diemer playing in Heated Rivalry season 2?
Per Deadline, Diemer stars as Ryan Price, while Jafargholi—known for War—takes on Fabian Salah. Co-creators Jacob Tierney and Brendan Brady of Accent Aigu Entertainment said Fabian and Ryan each bring a distinctive energy to the world Rachel Reid created.
“They are bold, complicated, and deeply compelling characters,” the pair noted, adding that Daniel Diemer and Shaheen bring confidence and emotional honesty to the roles. In Reid’s Game Changers books, Ryan is an anxious NHL player and Fabian a confident musician, a pairing detailed in Tough Guy and flagged in Out Magazine’s season 2 cast guide.
Why does this casting matter for the second season?
After Season 1’s surge, Bell Media’s Crave ordered a second season with Canada Media Fund participation. Adding Diemer and Jafargholi to the lead lineup signals Season 2 will open more of Reid’s wider hockey universe beyond Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov.
Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie return at the center of the rivals-to-lovers story. Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie also headline. Out reports Season 2 draws heavily from The Long Game and Role Model. For related alerts, visit our Fintech & Crypto Alerts hub.
When does Heated Rivalry season 2 premiere, and who else joins?
The drama launches in spring 2027. Crave carries it in Canada; HBO handles the U.S. Further additions include Emily Hampshire, Edvin Ryding as rookie Luca Haas, Robert Naylor, and Sabrina Jalees.
Tierney writes, directs, and executive produces, with Brady and Jayme Alter Wilson as executive producers. Rachel Reid is consulting producer, and Mike Goldbach co-writes Season 2. Bell’s Sphere Abacus distributes the series internationally.