Heated Rivalry’s Hudson Williams sends sweet message to newly out hockey player Jesse Kortuem

Posted on by Samantha

Heated Rivalry‘s Hudson Williams has sent a sweet message to Jesse Kortuem after the hockey player came out because of the show.

Kortuem, a hockey player in real life, publicly came out as gay via a Facebook post on 13 January, explaining the steps he’d taken to get to that point.

He said the LGBTQ+ sports drama had “sparked” something in him and made him realise “it is finally time to share a journey I have kept close to the vest for a long time”.

@pinknews

A real-life hockey player has publicly come out as gay and credited the hit series ‘Heated Rivalry’ with helping him take that step, saying the show’s portrayal of queer love in the sport gave him courage to tell his own story. Jesse Kortuem, who has played defenseman and center in several leagues, wrote that he had long struggled to reconcile his sexuality with his hockey career, and shared his story as a gay hockey player in a post to his Facebook on 13 January. “I know many closeted and gay men in the hockey world are being hit hard by Heated Rivalry’s success,” Kortuem told Out Magazine in a 14 January statement. “Never in my life did I think something so positive and loving could come from such a masculine sport. I’ve struggled the last few weeks to put these emotions into words, fearing the impact on team dynamics,” Kortuem said. #HeatedRivalry #LGBTQIA #hockey #shanehollander #ConnorStorrie

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In a preview clip ahead of Thursday’s episode of The Drew Barrymore Show, Kortuem describes how watching “such a positive reflection of what our society can be” inspired him to want to “lend that voice to help those kids that are hurting to be themselves”.

It’s at this point that Barrymore shows Kortuem a video message from Williams, who plays star ice hockey player Shane Hollander in Heated Rivalry.

“I just wanted to say thank you for watching our show and sharing your kind words you had for it,” Williams starts. “It really means a lot that our show could even play a little small part in a sort of positive thing about your life, and thank you for your bravery and just sounding like a really cool guy,” he also says.

Williams then thanks Jesse again adding: “You’re amazing.” Barrymore then reveals that the video came almost as soon as they’d asked about it.

Visibly emotional, Kortuem recounts hearing from someone he inspired to come out – someone whose family ultimately accepted them.

“I called my sister in law after that, and I was shaking and sobbing, and I said, ‘This is what it’s about.’ It’s about giving that kid hope that doesn’t think he can go on any longer.

“It’s about giving that kid who’s playing hockey in Fargo right now, where his teammates might be bullying him, or that collegiate athlete that thinks that they can’t be gay and play this sport. This is what this is all about.”

Heated Rivalry is based on Rachel Reid’s Game Changers novel series and primarily follows the love story between Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) and Shane Hollander (Williams). 

Heated Rivalry is streaming now. 

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