Connor Storrie is only now grasping the immense popularity of Heated Rivalry.

The show’s creator, Jacob Tierney, recently conducted an interview with the Toronto Star about the Crave / HBO Max’s show’s runaway success, and provided a status update on the “very offline” 25-year-old actor, who plays Ilya.

“We just saw Connor on Saturday,” he began.

Keep reading to find out more…

“He’s very offline in a healthy way and he was like, ‘I think it just hit me how big this show is.’”

“On Friday, he was driving around L.A. and saw a lineup that was like four blocks long to get into a Heated Rivalry rave,” Jacob explained.

“I was like, ‘It wasn’t when you presented at the Golden Globes?’ No, it was that (lineup) that really shocked him.”

Jacob also addressed speculation about a standalone episode to tide fans over before Season 2.

“This isn’t what any of us expected and I’m endlessly grateful for it. But it’s the kind of noise that I have to drown out to make the next two seasons,” he said.

“I have to keep trusting myself. I have to keep doing what I did in the first place. That’s the way you’re going to get a good season two. It’s important for me to go back to what I love about this and remember the story I’m telling.”

At the same time, he just carried the torch alongside co-star Hudson Williams for the 2026 Winter Olympics!