Heated Rivalry Handles Autism With Love, Care, and a Touch of Awkwardness

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For a long time, characters with autism or who are portrayed as autistic on TV and in movies have often followed a similar pattern. Examples include Raymond from Rain Man (played by Dustin Hoffman), Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory (played by Jim Parsons), Sam from Atypical (played by Keir Gilchrist), and Sean from The Good Doctor (played by Freddie Highmore).

They share similar body language – an awkwardness in how they stand, and similar nervous habits or gestures. When stressed or excited, they often speak quickly and unevenly. While these behaviors are sometimes seen in autistic people and aren’t inaccurate portrayals, they only represent a small part of what it means to be autistic. There’s a much wider range of experiences and characteristics than just these commonly recognized signs.

Hudson Williams, star of Heated Rivalry, recently told Glamour that movies often show autism with exaggerated physical traits – like unusual head movements, blinking, or speech patterns. He feels this is sometimes accurate, but it’s always the go-to representation. He explained that autism can also manifest as a lack of emotional expression, or difficulty with physical movements, like taking a long time to complete a simple action because the person isn’t sure how it should look or feel.

Shane Hollander, a character in the popular Canadian LGBTQ+ hockey story, offers a welcome change from typical portrayals of autism. He’s Asian, which is a refreshing departure from the predominantly white representation often seen. The story doesn’t focus heavily on his autism, which feels realistic – many people deeply involved in their passions don’t identify as autistic, or may not realize it. Both the author and actor confirm that Shane is, in fact, an autistic character.

It’s refreshing to see an actor portray autism authentically, especially compared to those who use autistic characteristics for artistic effect without acknowledging it. Shane’s portrayal feels genuinely autistic, differing from typical depictions. He exhibits a flat affect, a limited vocal range, and subtle facial expressions that require close attention to notice. Once you’re observing carefully, you can see him actively processing information and visibly struggling with social situations, relaxing only when he’s with someone who understands him. These characteristics all combine to create a believable and consistent character.

One major reason Shane feels so authentic is his portrayal is rooted in a real understanding and appreciation of autistic people. The creators made sure to represent autism through the lived experiences of actual people, not just as something to be researched for the sake of the character or story.

Rachel Reid, the author of the books the TV series is based on, realized later that her experience raising an autistic child influenced her character, Shane. Initially, when she wrote Heated Rivalry, she didn’t think about Shane being neurodivergent – she simply portrayed him as tense, worried, and focused. However, after her oldest child was diagnosed with neurodivergence, she learned a lot more. By the time she wrote The Long Game, she understood Shane better and concluded he was likely autistic, as she shared in a recent Reddit Q&A.

As a critic, I found Williams’ performance particularly compelling because of his personal connection to the role. He shared with the Hollywood Reporter that he has a family member on the autism spectrum, which gave him immediate insight into the character of Shane. He actually saw how Shane would behave as soon as he read the scripts, even before the novel came out. Williams explained that his own father, who is also on the spectrum, once told him he identifies more with the logical aliens from Star Trek – Vulcans – than with other people. It’s a funny anecdote, but it really highlights the unique way his father experiences the world. Williams said he drew heavily from his relationship with his dad when portraying Shane, and Rachel [the show’s creator] confirmed that Shane is autistic, so he felt he understood the character’s nuances from the start. He clearly felt a deep empathy for Shane, and it absolutely shows on screen.

I’ve been thinking about how even people who genuinely care for and know autistic individuals aren’t necessarily experts on autism itself. And that extends to creating art about autism – good intentions don’t automatically make something a respectful or accurate portrayal. I recently read an interview with an artist where he described an autistic character as feeling like “a giant wooden suit” or “a Roomba with no emotions,” and it just didn’t sit right with me. It felt like someone outside the autistic community shouldn’t be talking about us that way. I realize he probably has a close relationship with someone on the spectrum, and we, as autistic people, sometimes make jokes amongst ourselves about the stereotypes that hurt us – like being seen as robotic or lacking emotion. We might share those kinds of thoughts privately with people we trust. It seems like he’s still figuring out what’s okay to say publicly versus what’s appropriate for private conversations, and I get that it’s a learning process, especially as he gets used to being in the public eye.

As a longtime movie and TV watcher, I’ve noticed a real shift in how autism is portrayed in pop culture over the last ten years – it’s become much more thoughtful and interesting. We’re finally seeing characters who aren’t just stereotypes, thanks to shows like The Bridge. What’s even more exciting is that autistic writers and actors are getting more chances to share their own stories, and they’re knocking it out of the park with shows like Dinosaur, Everything’s Gonna Be Okay, and A Kind of Spark. It’s also great to see non-autistic creators, like Taylor Dearden in The Pitt, really do their research and bring authenticity to their work – Dearden used her own experiences with ADHD to inform her performance. Honestly, we didn’t need another police procedural with an autistic character when Chasing Shadows came out, but Reece Shearsmith’s commitment to finding the humanity in his character and portraying a full internal life was genuinely refreshing.

Most autistic characters in movies and TV shows have been created by people looking at autism from the outside, focusing on how behaviors appear rather than understanding the internal experiences of autistic people. Actors like Dustin Hoffman researched autistic individuals to copy their mannerisms – as seen in Rain Man – and others followed suit. Even more recently, shows like Atypical relied on advice from non-autistic professionals. This approach often treated autistic people as objects of study, leading to stereotypical portrayals that were sometimes praised as creative, but ultimately missed the mark.

Art created by people who genuinely understand and care about autistic individuals is valuable, but it can’t replace art made by autistic people themselves. There are unique perspectives and experiences that only come from within the autistic community. As an autistic writer, I believe true inclusion means celebrating autistic characters like Shane, and recognizing that when autistic people are truly accepted and valued, our perspectives will naturally inspire the creativity of those around us—just as all people do. This shouldn’t be about being seen as curiosities or exploited for others’ entertainment, but as complex individuals whose lives are worth exploring and celebrating.

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2026-01-10 00:07