Justice Smith says he plans to honor a fan-favorite character despite an online backlash over his casting in “Heated Rivalry” season two. The actor addressed the criticism directly in an Instagram Story posted Saturday night, two days after producers announced he would play Harris Drover, the Ottawa Centaurs’ social media manager, opposite Charlie Gillespie as hockey player Troy Barrett.
Smith wrote that he felt moved by the support and love he was getting from fans in his DMs, adding that many had already welcomed him with open arms and expressed a sense of responsibility to protect him. He called playing Harris an honor and vowed to take good care of the character if given the chance, closing the message by saying he felt beyond excited for the role. Smith paired the post with an image of an apple tree, an apparent nod to Harris’ family background in Rachel Reid’s Game Changer novels.
The reaction stems from a mismatch some readers see between Smith’s frame and the book description of Harris, who is portrayed as stocky with a soft belly and refers to himself as pudgy, while Troy views him as rugged and broad-chested. That contrast has stood out to fans because the show’s existing leads are built like the elite athletes they play, and Harris was traditionally imagined with a larger frame.
Producers have pushed back on the criticism. Showrunner Jacob Tierney and executive producer Brendan Brady said they wanted actors who could build something special together and bring depth and heart to the screen, and that Smith and Gillespie immediately connected with the vulnerability and resilience central to the roles. Author Rachel Reid weighed in too, referencing last year’s skepticism toward the show’s original leads before their performances won over audiences.
Harris and Troy anchor “Role Model,” the fifth book in Reid’s Game Changers series, which season two will adapt alongside “The Long Game.” Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie return as Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, the central couple from season one, which became a breakout hit for Crave and HBO Max.
The series surpassed 10.6 million U.S. viewers, more than doubling its audience since the December finale, and stands as HBO Max’s top-performing acquired scripted series. Despite that success, the show remains ineligible for the Emmys because it was fully financed by its Canadian producer before HBO signed on as U.S. distributor.
Filming on season two began this week in Canada, with a spring 2027 premiere planned.
