Margaret Cho has disclosed which acting opportunity she now regrets declining. The 57-year-old actress and comedian appeared on the I Never Liked You podcast this week, where host Nick Smith asked her, 'Is there something you've never done that you wish you could still do?'
To the astonishment of Smith and co-host Matteo Lane, Cho admitted she turned down a role in the popular hockey romance-drama Heated Rivalry. She explained, 'Last year, I received a pilot script for a show I really loved, but it filmed in Canada. I was terrified because I am so vocal about opposing ICE and this administration. I thought I would be detained at the border and placed in ICE detention if I went.'
Cho continued, 'I wrestled with the decision. I consulted many people about it and was extremely upset, but ultimately I said no. And it was Heated Rivalry.' Despite the difficult choice, she did not let it stop her from watching the series when it debuted on HBO in November 2025.
About Heated Rivalry
The series features main characters Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander, played by Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams respectively. This passionate scripted series is based on the romance novel of the same name by Rachel Reid.
Cho recalled reading the script: 'The pilot was beautiful, and I thought, I want to do this.' She hinted at the possibility of appearing in the second season, saying, 'We'll see.' The next season is expected to premiere in April 2027.
Co-writer and creator Jacob Tierney told Rolling Stone that when he first discovered Reid's Game Changers book series, he was taken aback by how 'smutty' they were. Actor François Arnaud, who plays Scott Hunter, shared a similar reaction with Variety: 'Initially, I was a bit overwhelmed by the intensity of the sex scenes, but I knew Jacob had something that would subvert expectations. People are drawn to the smutty aspects, but Jacob uses that to peel back layers. The ending is quite emotionally affecting.'
Other Missed Opportunities
In March, Cho recalled former President Donald Trump's persistent efforts to have her join The Apprentice in an exclusive interview with The Daily Mail. Before his political career, Trump hosted the reality show where contestants competed for a job with him.
Cho said, 'It was odd because he wouldn't let up for a couple of years. He really wanted me to do it.' She was dissuaded after appearing on an episode to support her friend Cyndi Lauper on The Celebrity Apprentice. 'I had a bad feeling. I visited her challenge at the diner, and it was very stressful. I didn't want to put myself in that position. I had no idea who he was. I never spent much time in New York, and he's such a New York figure. Everyone knew, but I didn't really know,' she explained.
Cho previously mentioned on The Julia Cunningham Show that she also declined a request from Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen to endorse his 2016 presidential campaign.
