François Arnaud, an actor known for his role in the series “Heated Rivalry,” has strongly dismissed rumors suggesting a secret romance with his co-star Connor Storrie. Arnaud expressed concern over the intense scrutiny that has accompanied the show’s rise to fame.

The popular HBO Max series, based on novels by Rachel Reid, centers around the passionate and competitive relationship between two male hockey players, one from Canada and the other from Russia.

Since its debut, the show has become a hot topic in pop culture discussions, catapulting its cast members into global stardom.

Arnaud, who portrays Scott Hunter, recently opened up to the Toronto Star about the whirlwind of fame. He admitted that adjusting to the sudden attention has been challenging.

Since the show’s launch in November, many fans have speculated that stars Storrie and Hudson Williams, who play Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander respectively, might be romantically involved off-screen. This has led to a flurry of theories about a possible real-life relationship.

However, after Arnaud and Storrie were spotted boarding a plane together in New York last week, new rumors surfaced that the two might be dating. This has sparked a backlash from fans hoping for an off-screen romance between Storrie and Hudson instead.

‘In general, fans have been incredibly positive and respectful. 

‘For the ones that aren’t, I think it’s a lot of younger fans who don’t really understand the difference between reality and fiction,’ Arnaud said in response to the theories.

Heated Rivalry actor François Arnaud has fiercely slammed fan theories that he’s secretly dating his costar Connor Storrie 

Arnaud, who played Scott Hunter in the series, spoke to the Toronto Star about being thrust into the spotlight practically ‘overnight,’ and he confessed that it has been difficult for him

‘I honestly wish they would just rewatch the show, because it doesn’t seem like they got its message,’ he quipped. ‘Pay attention more closely. Did we watch the same show?’ 

Arnaud described that attention from the show as ‘incredible’ but ‘also a bit scary.’ 

‘I remember telling my agent, “I think this is going to be a worldwide sensation.” But I did not think that it would happen overnight like it did,’ he admitted.

‘It’s a thing to deal with… to be witnessed at all times. I can’t go out on the street at all without being recognized in 20 seconds.

‘I’ve always valued normalcy, and so there’s an adjustment period there.’

He said it has become so intense that he is now considering moving to a new home in Los Angeles.

‘I’m like, “Oh, maybe a little bungalow with street access, not on a gated property, is not the best thing.” So yeah, I’m moving into a building with a doorman,’ he revealed.

He also revealed that he’s had to delete X (formerly Twitter) off his phone amidst the constant posts online and is spending much less time on Instagram.

He also hit back at the fan speculation that he and his costar Storrie are in a relationship after photos of them jetting out of New York City together went viral earlier this week

The steamy HBO Max show, which is adapted from a series of novels by author Rachel Reid, focuses on the romance and rivalry between a pair of male hockey players

Many fans have become convinced that Storrie and Hudson Williams – who portrayed lovers Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander – have feelings for each other in real life 

‘It’s nice. It’s giving me an excuse to just log off and not pay attention to that,’ he added. 

Despite the downsides, he insisted that he is proud of his participation in the show, particularly because of the ‘really joyous’ and ‘hopeful’ message behind it.

‘There’s something really joyous about the show’s message, something hopeful,’ he dished.

‘We’re so over-informed now. It’s really hard to just look at the news at all. There are characters with struggles on the show, but ultimately, you feel that pull toward happiness.’