Heated Rivalry’s Hudson Williams snaps at autograph sellers in tense Paris confrontation

Hudson Williams, the breakout star of Heated Rivalry, found himself at the centre of a heated moment of his own this week after a tense run-in with a group of alleged autograph dealers outside a Paris residence.

Hudson Williams burns his photos after alleged autograph dealers follow him

Video circulating on social media shows the 25-year-old actor exiting a car on July 13 during Haute Couture Fashion Week, only to be met by a group of men on mopeds holding stacks of his own headshots. Hudson, who plays fan-favourite Shane Hollander in the gay hockey romance series, immediately made clear he wasn’t in the mood.

Visibly rattled, he told the group they’d followed him all the way to the residence and brushed off their apologies, accusing them of being autograph dealers rather than genuine admirers. He grabbed a stack of photos from one man and pulled out a lighter, attempting to set them on fire. When the flame wouldn’t catch, he stormed off and tore the photos apart instead, as the men reportedly laughed from their mopeds.

Despite the outburst, Hudson appeared to calm down enough to sign the photos before dropping them and walking away.

Unlike some celebrities who’ve faced criticism for similar clashes with paparazzi and autograph hunters, the reaction to Hudson’s meltdown has skewed overwhelmingly sympathetic. Social media users have largely applauded him for standing his ground, with many saying his frustration was more than justified given the circumstances.

This isn’t the first time Williams has addressed the darker side of his sudden fame. Back in March, he and co-star François Arnaud posted a joint statement condemning bigoted and parasocial behaviour from self-proclaimed fans, making clear that hateful commentary has no place in their fandom.

The Paris incident also comes on the heels of a separate controversy from June, when resurfaced photos from Williams' teenage years showed a swastika drawn on his face during what friends described as an alcohol-fuelled high school prank. Those close to the actor have maintained he was unaware the symbol had been drawn on him, though the fallout reportedly led Peloton to pull social media posts featuring him.

None of this appears to have slowed Heated Rivalry’s momentum. Season two is currently filming in Toronto, with Hudson and co-star Connor Storrie set to reprise their roles as Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov when the show returns in April 2027.

For more updates, join/follow our WhatsApp, Telegram and YouTube channels.