In all the years that I have been preparing interviews for Variety In my series entitled "Actors on Actors," I've always resisted the temptation to reveal exactly how this process works. For example, when fans complain on social media that our magazine hasn't paired two clearly compatible actors, I don't explain that we really They tried, but one (or both!) actors abandoned what seemed like a surefire idea. Sometimes the reasons why a couple doesn't work out are scandalous. Other times, they're more mundane. But revealing all the secrets—no matter how momentarily satisfying—would only distract from the talented actors who actually participate in our series.
Of course, the magic of "Actors on Actors," which returns to CNN's streaming platform on June 3 (with a stunning season premiere), lies in finding the right actors to perform the dialogue. In theory, this may seem simple, as evidenced by numerous fan suggestions. But in practice, it's an incredibly complex undertaking. Inviting actors to appear on "Actors on Actors" is like bringing together the most famous people on the planet, and their coffee date must be approved by an army of PR people and awards show experts.
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So, I'm going to break my cardinal rule of "Actors on Actors" now: I'm going to talk about a few stars who eluded me. When our cast is announced on Monday—a lineup featuring some of the most talked-about actors on TV this year—one incredibly important series will be missing. Sorry to disappoint, but we didn't include a single actor from "Heat Rivalry." And it's not for lack of trying. I invited all three actors who rose to fame on that groundbreaking series about gay hockey players: the extraordinary Connor Storrie, the charming Hudson Williams, and the magnetic François Arnaud. These actors, as millions of devoted "Heat Rivalry" fans know, only need to show up to cause mass hysteria on social media, and they have the talent to back up their instant fame. They deserve to be in our portfolio alongside the biggest names in the industry.
And yet, they turned us down. I'm sure they would have accepted the invitation if not for one crucial fact: "Heated Rivalry" is ineligible for this year's Emmy Awards due to a technicality. Because it's produced by Crave, a Canadian streaming service owned by Bell Media (it airs on HBO Max in the US), the show and its stars weren't submitted for consideration, and as a result, the actors are currently off the campaign trail. While Actors on Actors isn't just about winning awards (Ryan Reynolds did that for the two "Deadpool" films, and most recently, David Corenswet of "Superman" fame was delighted to be on our set), the conversations are published in Variety in the first days of voting for the first round of the Emmy Awards—and therefore, it is ideally positioned to assist with the nomination process.
Perhaps the stars feared that participating in a promotional event for an award they knew they couldn't win would appear presumptuous. But the Emmys need "Heated Rivalry" more than "Heated Rivalry" needs the Emmys. It's a genuine hit—not just with mainstream audiences but also with casual viewers, who were captivated by its passionate romantic plot and carefully crafted characters. The Television Academy's exclusion of "Heated Rivalry" from the Emmys is disappointing for many reasons: for fashion houses eager to dress recent Met Gala stars Storrie and Williams for the red carpet; for fans; and for NBC, which will broadcast this year's Emmy Awards ceremony.
Why is this happening? As my colleague Michael Schneider explains, the Television Academy requires shows to be funded by American producers to be eligible, which narrows the pool of potential contenders for the vote. Most popular international shows (from "Adolescence" to "Squid Game") have circumvented this rule by bringing in American producers at some point in the process before they air (or are available to watch online), but for some reason, "Heated Rivalry"—shot and produced in Canada—didn't expand its list of sponsors when it was sold to HBO Max. Those hockey players remained north of the border, out of reach of the Emmy Awards.
But if a show attracts the attention and affection of so many viewers in the US, why does it matter where it was filmed? Shouldn't the Emmy Awards be a celebration of what we actually watch? And haven't we seen time and again, as Hollywood reimagines the streaming era, that new and important voices can emerge from unexpected places—and that old rules are meant to be broken?
The Emmy Awards would seem strange without mentioning the show that captivated us all. The famous cottage where star-crossed lovers Ilya Rozanov (Storrie) and Shane Hollander (Williams) declare their love for each other is as iconic to viewers as the Central Perk coffee shop from Friends or Carrie Bradshaw's studio apartment in Sex and the City. (Both of those shows eventually won the top Emmy award.) Under no circumstances should "Heavy Rivalry," one of the defining cultural moments of this decade, be excluded from any awards ceremony meant to showcase the best of television. I just wish it weren't excluded from our "Actors on Actors" portfolio, either.
I can only imagine how many veteran actors would have agreed to sit across from three of Hollywood's brightest new stars. And there would have been no shortage of voters at the awards ceremony who would have cast their ballots for Ilya to celebrate his victory live on air.
Ramin Setodeh is the magazine's co-editor and co-president. Variety .
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