Smith and Gillespie will play Harris Drover and Troy Barrett, respectively, the couple at the center of Role Model, the fifth book in Rachel Reid’s bestselling Game Changers series, on which Heated Rivalry is based. “Rachel Reid has given us two beautifully layered characters in Harris and Troy who you can’t help but root for,” said executive producers Tierney and Brendan Brady. They immediately connected with the vulnerability and resilience at the core of these characters, bringing an instinctive understanding of who Harris and Troy are.” Like with the casting of Ilya and Shane, Heated Rivalry is going with one American (Smith) and one Canadian (Gillespie) actor for Harris and Troy. Heated Rivalry, which became an instant global phenomenon when Season 1 was released in late 2025, is commissioned by Bell Media’s Crave, with the participation of the Canada Media Fund.