APPLETON, Wis. — Connor Storrie, the 25-year-old Texas native starring as the Russian hockey player Ilya Rozanov in the adaptation of Rachel Reid's Heated Rivalry, has captivated audiences with his seamless portrayal, particularly his impeccable Russian accent. In a recent interview with Behind the Blinds released on January 5, Storrie revealed the rigorous routine he adopted to master the dialect, emphasizing consistency and immersion on set.
"It was about time and consistency," Storrie told the outlet. "The moment I got out of the car on set, I started speaking with the accent to all the PAs, all the ADs, hair, makeup, and wardrobe people. I stayed in it until the last cut of the day. Not because I was ‘in character,’ but because it gave me an hour and a half to warm up."
Storrie, who shares the screen with Hudson Williams and François Arnaud in the series, admitted that the accent initially felt awkward. "You think, ‘I don’t sound like that,’" he continued in the interview. "Of course you don’t. But if you normalize it—both for yourself and for the people around you—it starts to feel real. I think that’s why people convince themselves they’re bad at accents. They don’t give themselves permission to sound wrong at first."
The actor's dedication has paid off, with fans expressing shock at how convincingly he embodies the character. During a joint interview with Hudson Williams for Much Music, Storrie reflected on his initial doubts. "Anyone who’s heard me talk about this knows that when I read this, I was like, ‘It’s not going to be me,’" he said, referring to the challenges of adopting a Russian accent. "I pulled it off, baby."
Heated Rivalry, based on the popular novel by Rachel Reid, follows the intense on- and off-ice relationship between two rival hockey players. Storrie's role as Ilya Rozanov, a fierce competitor from Russia, requires not just physical prowess on the rink but also linguistic authenticity to bring depth to the character's background. The series has quickly become a buzzworthy hit in the streaming landscape, drawing comparisons to other sports dramas that blend athleticism with personal drama.
Storrie's approach to the accent is part of a long tradition in Hollywood where actors undergo vocal transformations for authenticity. He is not alone in facing such challenges; recent high-profile examples include Austin Butler's lingering Elvis Presley drawl from the 2022 biopic Elvis and Ariana Grande's adjusted vocal register after portraying Glinda in the upcoming Wicked film.
Grande, speaking on the Smartless podcast in February of last year, explained her intentional shift. "I'll change my vocal placement to kind of preserve," she said. "But that is just something that's healthy for the voice. It's just basically pitching your voice up a tiny bit." For Grande, the change was a protective measure tied to the demands of musical theater.
Butler, on the other hand, struggled to shake off his character's voice post-production. During a 2024 appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, he disclosed hiring extra help. "I had a dialect coach just to help me not sound like Elvis," Butler said. "It was a whole thing." These cases highlight the physical and psychological toll that immersive role preparation can take on performers.
While Heated Rivalry dominates conversations in the entertainment world right now, its fans face a longer wait for more content. A second season has been confirmed, but no release date has been announced, leaving viewers eager for additional glimpses of Storrie's Rozanov and the evolving rivalries on screen. In the interim, January brings a slate of new and returning TV series across various networks and streaming platforms, offering plenty to fill the void.
Starting the month off strong, MTV's RuPaul's Drag Race premiered its latest season on January 2, featuring 14 new queens vying for the title of “America’s Next Drag Superstar,” along with an official makeup collaboration with Anastasia Beverly Hills Cosmetics and a $200,000 cash prize sponsored by the video game RuPaul’s Drag Race Match Queen.
On January 4, Oxygen launched season 36 of its true crime staple Snapped, delving into gripping real-life stories of desperation and deception. ABC followed suit on January 6 with the return of The Rookie for its eighth season, starring Nathan Fillion as the ever-dedicated officer John Nolan, and Will Trent for season four, with Ramón Rodríguez back solving complex cases alongside his team.
TLC's 1000-Lb. Sisters also debuted its new episodes on January 6, chronicling the Slaton sisters' personal milestones. Amy Slaton is shown deep in wedding-planning mode for her Halloween-themed nuptials to Brian, complete with haunting details and a bachelorette bash in New Orleans. Meanwhile, Tammy Slaton navigates post-surgery life, including a volunteer role at an animal shelter, increased responsibilities at nearly 40, and plans to move in with her girlfriend, Andrea. The season promises heightened family tensions amid themes of envy, growth, and humor.
PBS's Finding Your Roots returned on January 6 for season 12, where host Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., guides 20 new celebrity guests through their ancestral histories spanning hundreds of years. Fox introduced Best Medicine the same day, a dramedy centered on Dr. Martin Best (played by Josh Charles), a brilliant but brusque surgeon who relocates to a quirky East Coast fishing village, only to confront his own phobias and the town's eccentricities.
The momentum continued on January 7 with Fox's The Masked Singer season 14 premiere, unveiling new mystery celebrities behind elaborate costumes. Bravo's The Valley: Persian Style launched on January 8, a spinoff tracking a group of Persian friends transitioning from Beverly Hills glamour to suburban Valley life, where cultural values of family and loyalty clash with emerging relational cracks.
Peacock's The Traitors season four also debuted on January 8, emphasizing fate and betrayal as contestants navigate alliances in a castle setting. Netflix rolled out HIS & HERS that day, a thriller set in Atlanta following reclusive news anchor Anna as she investigates a murder in her hometown of Dahlonega, crossing paths with suspicious Detective Jack Harper.
NBC's The Hunting Party, premiering January 8, stars Melissa Roxburgh as former FBI profiler Rebecca "Bex" Henderson leading a team to recapture escaped killers from the secretive prison known as “The Pit.” Hulu's A Thousand Blows followed on January 9, inspired by 1880s East End London tales, where characters like Hezekiah and Mary Carr grapple with survival, estrangement, and risky schemes.
OWN's Maxxed Out began on January 10, an eight-episode series exploring financial chaos in American families and the tough interventions needed for recovery. Hulu's Tell Me Lies returned for season three on January 13, tracking Lucy Albright (Grace Van Patten) and Stephen DeMarco (Jackson White) as their rekindled romance at Baird College unravels amid scandals and past mistakes.
TLC's Suddenly Amish premiered the same day, following six non-Amish participants immersing in a Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Amish community to consider conversion, embracing faith, simplicity, and discipline. National Geographic's Pole to Pole With Will Smith also launched January 13, documenting Smith's five-year journey across seven continents from Antarctica's icefields to the Amazon's jungles.
Fox's Fear Factor: House of Fear, hosted by Johnny Knoxville, debuted on January 14, placing strangers in a remote location for stunts, challenges, and social strategy, with one emerging victorious and a grand prize. Britbox introduced Riot Women that day, about five menopausal women forming a punk band for a talent contest, uncovering deep connections along the way.
On January 15, Fox aired Going Dutch and the season four premiere of Animal Control in its regular slot. HBO's A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is set for January 18, offering tales from the Westeros universe focused on an unlikely duo's adventures.
Apple TV+'s Drops of God season two arrives January 21, sending siblings Camille and Issei on a global quest for the origins of the world's greatest wine, confronting legacies and secrets. ABC's American Idol kicks off its ninth season on the network—and 24th overall—on January 26, with judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood, and host Ryan Seacrest, featuring a historic Hollywood Week in Nashville.
Fox also premieres Memory of a Killer on January 26, starring Patrick Dempsey as hitman Angelo Doyle in a thriller based on the 2003 Belgian film De Zaak Alzheimer, and season two of the family competition Extracted. Apple TV+'s Shrinking returns January 28, following Jason Segel's grieving therapist who bends rules with candid advice, sparking life-altering consequences.
Netflix's Bridgerton season four drops January 29, shifting focus to Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) and his encounter with a mysterious Lady in Silver at a masquerade ball. Fox's Next Level Chef season five and a future iteration of Fear Factor: House of Fear in January 2026 round out the packed schedule.
As streaming and broadcast lineups explode with diverse genres—from true crime and reality competitions to historical dramas and personal transformations—the delay for Heated Rivalry's next chapter underscores the industry's rapid pace. Storrie's accent mastery not only elevates his performance but also reminds viewers of the artistry behind bringing fictional worlds to life, setting the stage for more immersive storytelling ahead.