The casting of most beloved literary characters in screen adaptation inevitably creates online discourse as fans of the books have their own preconceived notions for what the characters should look like. Heated Rivalry is no exception, with the announcement on Friday that Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie will play Harris Drover and Troy Barrett, respectively, in Season 2 of the hugely popular series based on Rachel Reid’s Game Changer books, triggering a strong reaction. Watch on DeadlineThe protecting part is likely a reference to negative comments posted online, a lot of them pointed at Smith’s casting. “Thinking about all the people last summer who told me the casting for llya and Shane was wrong and bad…,” Reid wrote on her Instagram Story. They immediately connected with the vulnerability and resilience at the core of these characters, bringing an instinctive understanding of who Harris and Troy are.”