‘We’re Making A Horny Show’: Heated Rivalry’s Creator Gets Real About All Those Sex Scenes (And Addresses Rumor That Kip And Scott’s Got Cut)

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The HBO series Heated Rivalry quickly became a sensation, largely due to its explicit sexual content. Adapted from a book, the show (available on HBO Max) featured numerous intimate scenes. Creator Jacob Tierney recently discussed his approach to filming these scenes, and addressed rumors about certain scenes involving Kip and Scott being removed. Here’s a detailed look at what he said.

Okay, let me tell you about Heated Rivalry. It’s finally a super steamy show for queer audiences, centering on two gay couples navigating love and relationships within the intense world of professional hockey. Honestly, the show grabbed a lot of attention initially because of its, shall we say, very passionate scenes. I recently spoke with the show’s creator, Tierney, and he explained how he leaned into that inherent sensuality, saying…

We intentionally created a show with a strong sexual element, and we embrace that. It’s meant to be enjoyable and a key part of what makes the show stand out. We wanted to portray sex as something positive and beautiful, specifically avoiding any depiction of trauma. That was a really important goal for us.

There’s been a lot of discussion recently about how important it is to see LGBTQ+ people represented in movies and TV. Traditionally, queer stories often focused on hardship, and Tierney didn’t want his book series, Heated Rivalry, to follow that pattern. The books are known for being quite sensual, so he made a point of ensuring the show’s intimate scenes were passionate and enjoyable, rather than upsetting. And anyone who’s seen the show can tell he succeeded.

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The first intimate scene between Ilya and Shane definitely increased the show’s intensity, with actors Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie sharing a lot of close moments throughout the first season. However, François Arnaud, who played Scott Hunter, also mentioned that he and Robbie G.K. (who played Kip) filmed several days’ worth of intimate scenes, even though their episode didn’t feature as much nudity. Tierney responded to this claim in an interview, saying:

He’s denying it, but it’s not a lie exactly – he’s just playing a role. It felt like those two days flew by. We actually filmed a lot more footage than what made the final cut. Poor François! I knew as soon as I saw the interview people would accuse me of something. I immediately texted him, asking what he meant, and he asked if something had happened. I told him it hadn’t.

Okay, that makes things much clearer. It seems some extra footage from the scene was cut, but it wasn’t nearly as much as people thought – they didn’t film two full days of intimate scenes. However, I expect the most dedicated fans of Heated Rivalry will still be eager to see any deleted footage involving Scott and Kip.

The first season of Heated Rivalry wrapped up on Christmas, but good news for fans – it’s been renewed for a second season! You can currently stream the entire first season on HBO Max as part of the 2025 TV lineup.

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2025-12-26 22:13