Connor Storrie Makes “SNL” Debut with Help from “Heated Rivalry” Costar Hudson Williams and Team USA Hockey Players

Connor Storrie made his Saturday Night Live hosting debut on Feb. 28

NEED TO KNOW

• His Heated Rivalry costar Hudson Williams made various appearances throughout the episode

• Team USA hockey players Megan Keller and Hilary Knight from the women's team, plus brothers Quinn Hughes and Jack Hughes from the men's team, also appeared during the opening monologue, poking fun at post-2026 Winter Olympics controversy with President Donald Trump

Live from Studio 8H — it'sConnor Storrie!

The actor, 26, made hisSaturday Night Livehosting debut on Feb. 28, when he was joined byMumford & Sonsas the musical guest.

Storrie was supported by hisHeated RivalrycostarHudson Williams, who appeared inone sketchandhelped introduce a Mumford & Sons performance. Williams, 25, was also by Storrie's side as the episode ended.

Team USA hockey players also made cameos during theopening monologue, withMegan KellerandHilary Knightfrom the women's team appearing, as well as brothersQuinn HughesandJack Hughesfrom the men's team.

Both teams scored gold medals during their2026 Winter Olympicshockey matches, and the group poked fun at the controversy surrounding PresidentDonald Trumpfor how he responded to each win.

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Storrie stars as Ilya Rozanov and Williams portrays Shane Hollander inHeated Rivarly, the LGBTQ+ romance-hockey drama adapted from author Rachel Reid'snovelof the same name from her popular seriesGame Changers.

The actors play two of the biggest stars in the National Hockey League (NHL) who navigate an intense rivalry on the ice — and a steamy connection outside of the rink.

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Storrie and Williams, as well as fellow costarsFrançois ArnaudandRobbie G.K., were thrust into international fame whenHeated Rivarlybegan streaming on HBO Max in late 2025.

Show creatorJacob Tierneysaid on the Feb. 26 episode ofCBS Morningsthat season 2 of the show will "start shooting in August," and a spokesperson for the streaming service Crave toldEntertainment Weekly, "We are aiming for a spring 2027 premiere."

Saturday Night Liveairs weekends on NBC. Season 1 ofHeated Rivalryis available to stream on HBO Max.

Read the original article onPeople

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March 01, 2026

Connor Storrie Makes “SNL” Debut with Help from “Heated Rivalry” Costar Hudson Williams and Team USA Hockey Players

Connor Storrie made his Saturday Night Live hosting debut on Feb. 28 NEED TO KNOW His Heated Rivalry costar...

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Connor Storrie welcomes Olympic hockey players on ‘SNL’ – from both the US men’s and women’s teams

US women's hockey team gold medalists Megan Keller and Hilary Knight skated by some ongoing drama related to the US men's hockey team when they appeared on the latest episode of "Saturday Night Live."

The episode, hosted by "Heated Rivalry" star Connor Storrie, took place days after theUS men's hockey team won goldat the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games, going on to draw ire for partying with FBI director Kash Patel and subsequently facing backlash for laughing during a call with President Trump after hejokedhe would be "impeached" for not inviting the US women's hockey team,who also won gold, to the White House.

The women's team later declined Trump's invitation to attend the State of the Union, citing scheduling conflicts, while the men's team did show up.

Storrie welcomed brothers Jack and Quinn Hughes on the stage first during hisopening monologueon Saturday, with the pair donning their gold medals and some missing teeth.

"We've been so busy playing, we haven't had time to see your show yet," Jack Hughes said, before his brother chimed in to joke, "It's about hockey, right?"

Keller and Knight, also donning their gold medals, then walked out on stage after Storrie said he hoped "somehockey players" watched "Rivalry," winking at the fact that much of the show'saudiencehas been women drawn to the gay romance aspect.

"Don't worry," said Keller. "We saw your show."

Keller and Knight went on to poke fun at the Hughes about how the women were originally supposed to appear on "SNL" alone, but "we thought we'd invite the guys too," and reminded the audience that the women's hockey team won gold just "two whole Olympics ago," after the men mentioned their team last won gold over 40 years ago.

The appearance by the athletes all appeared to be in good fun, with no mention of the controversy surrounding the men's team's reaction to Trump's remarks.

"My show speaks to people who are not always represented in hockey," Storrie said at the end of his monologue. "So this is really great to have actual hockey legends here tonight."

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Reaching a 'goal'

Storrie's debut appearance on "SNL" was akin to a decisive slap shot on the ice, a milestone he celebrated alongside his "Rivalry" costar Hudson Williams, who made a surprise appearance during a sketch that took place… at the Rockefeller Center ice rink.

The episode featured moments where Storrie exercised his considerate foreign accent skills, which fans of "Rivalry" — theromantic hockey-set seriesthat has turned Storrie and Williams into the hottest male screen sirens of the moment — already knew quite well. The actor, who portrays surly Russian hockey captain Ilya Rozanov in the show, is in no way, shape or form Russian, and learned to speak the language rather flawlessly in justthree weeks before filming.(This tweetsums up just how much of a quick study he is.)

"Selfishly, I just love Russian language. I love any opportunity to do an accent, learn a new skill, and this had all of it," he toldOutin November of the role.

Amere nine months ago, Storrie was working as a server at aCulver City, Los Angeles restaurant, and almost got fired the day he found out he landed one of the leads in "Heated Rivalry."

It's a part of Storrie's story that he touched on during his opening monologue on Saturday, saying that since he was plucked from that restaurant to star on "Rivalry," his life has "totally changed."

"I've only technically been a professional actor for like, six months now, but on the other hand, I've been preparing for this my entire life," he said. "On one hand, I'm totally surprised and humbled that this is happening to me, and on the other hand, this was my destiny," he added dramatically.

Aside from blowing the lid off of what was previously thought of as permissible with what can be shown onscreen when it comes to gay sex, "Rivalry" has changed the cultural conversation in relation to portrayals of masculinity, consent and the potential for the romance genre in the streaming age.

Before "Heated Rivalry," which (of course) has been renewed for a second season, Storrie was probably best known for a small but pivotal role in 2024's "Joker: Folie a Deux."

Along with Williams and their "Heated" costar François Arnaud, he has been just about everywhere recently, from theGrammystoannouncing the Actor Award nominationstoParis Fashion Weektohobnobbing with acclaimed Hollywood directors. And no one is tired yet.

Mumford & Sons served as the musical guest during Storrie's episode of "Saturday Night Live," with a special appearance by Hozier.

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byNito

in

March 01, 2026

Connor Storrie welcomes Olympic hockey players on ‘SNL’ – from both the US men’s and women’s teams

US women's hockey team gold medalists Megan Keller and Hilary Knight skated by some ongoing drama related to the US ...

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Susan Sarandon says she's been blacklisted from Hollywood for recent Gaza remarks

Susan Sarandon says she hasn't been working in America because her agents "fired" her "for marching and speaking out about Gaza."

Key Points

• The actress explained that she "couldn't do any major film" or "anything connected with Hollywood."

• The Thelma & Louise star has primarily been working in Europe for the past few years.

Susan Sarandonsays that advocating for the people of Gaza has drastically impacted her career trajectory.

TheThelma & Louiseactress spoke candidly about struggling to find work in the American film industry during apress conferencein Barcelona on Friday ahead of the 40th Goya Awards.

"I was fired by my agency specifically for marching and speaking out about Gaza — for asking for a ceasefire — and it became impossible for me to even be on television," Sarandon said. "I don't know lately if it's changed, [but] I couldn't do any major film, anything connected with Hollywood."

United Talent Agencydropped Sarandon as a clientin November 2023 after she spoke at a pro-Palestine rally and drew controversy for suggesting that Jewish Americans are "getting a taste of what it is like to be Muslim in this country, so often subjected to violence."

She laterapologized for the statement, writing, "I deeply regret diminishing this reality and hurting people with this comment. It was my intent to show solidarity in the struggle against bigotry of all kinds, and I am sorry I failed to do so."

Entertainment Weeklyhas reached out to UTA for comment.

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At the press conference, Sarandon said that since 2023 she has been able to act only in Europe. "I found agents ultimately in England and in Italy, and I have worked there," she said. "I just did a film in Italy, and I did a play at the Old Vic for a number of months."

TheRocky Horror Picture Showactress added that she has faced challenges getting cast in those countries, too. "This Italian director that just hired me, he was told not to hire me," she said. "So that's still recently. He didn't listen, but they had that conversation. So right now, I kind of specialize in tiny films with directors who have never directed and are independent films, and films that are in Europe or in Italy. So that's the main reason I haven't been working as much."

Sarandon also applauded Spain and its government for raisingobjections to Israel's actions in Gaza, noting how different the country's attitude has been compared to that of the United States.

"In a place where you feel repression and censorship, to see Spain and to see the president and what he says, and the support that he's giving about Gaza, and to have actors like Javier Bardem come forward with such a strong voice is so important to us in the United States," she said. "When you turn on the TV and you see how strong Spain is and how clear that you are morally about these issues, it makes you feel less alone, and it makes you feel that there is hope because of you all. You just don't hear that on television in the United States."

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Sarandon has appeared in a handful of films released by major American studios since being dropped by her agents, including Netflix'sThe Six Triple EightandNonnas. However, those projects began production before November 2023.

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

byNito

in

March 01, 2026

Susan Sarandon says she's been blacklisted from Hollywood for recent Gaza remarks

Susan Sarandon says she hasn't been working in America because her agents "fired" her "for marching a...

Read More