François Arnaud on sudden fame after Heated Rivalry's breakout success

François Arnaud says he’s not used to this level of attention after his role in Heated Rivalry, telling The Kelly Clarkson Show in January, “I’ve been acting for a long time, but I’ve never had this level of attention on me.” Arnaud, who has nearly 20 years in the industry and has appeared in dramas such as The Borgias and NBC’s Midnight, Texas, plays Scott Hunter on the steamy series about two closeted hockey players whose secret affair grows into love.

He is not one of the central two players but a third athlete who is also in the closet. Episode 3 focuses on Scott’s private relationship with a barista named Kip, a romance that collapses under the pressure to stay hidden. By Episode 5, after winning a championship game, Scott brings Kip onto the ice and kisses him in front of the world.

The response to Heated Rivalry has been explosive and the show has become a cultural phenomenon, the piece says — even coinciding with a rise in NHL ticket sales. Arnaud said he’s still adapting to the spotlight.

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