In a candid red carpet moment that has set social media alight, Heated Rivalry star François Arnaud delivered a sharp retort to pop icon Miley Cyrus after she expressed interest in contributing music to the show's second season.
A Red Carpet Exchange Sparks Rivalry
The public back-and-forth began on Saturday night, 3rd January, at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. Speaking to Variety's Marc Malkin, Cyrus, 33, enthusiastically declared she was "so in" to record music for the anticipated second season of HBO's hit hockey romance-drama. "Book me! Get me booked," she proclaimed. However, she concurrently admitted she had not yet watched the six-episode first season.
The following evening, at the Critics Choice Awards on 4th January, Arnaud, 40, was asked about Cyrus's offer. The Canadian actor did not hold back. "But she hasn’t even watched the show," he pointed out to Variety. "She should watch the show first. Miley, watch the damn show."
Budget Quips and Storyline Hopes
Arnaud then humorously questioned whether the show's production could afford such a high-profile collaboration. "I think we might get a little bigger budget for Season 2 but I don’t know if we have a Miley budget," he mused. He later added, "I think if she sees the show, she might give us a discount."
Arnaud plays Scott Hunter, who shares a steamy and heartfelt romance with Robbie Graham-Kuntz's character Kip in the series. The show's central couple, Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander, are portrayed by Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, respectively. The scripted series is adapted from the popular romance novel of the same name by Rachel Reid.
Discussing his hopes for his character's future, Arnaud shared his desire to explore the challenges of a relationship where one person is "uber-famous" and the other is thrust into the spotlight unwillingly. "I think for season two, if we are in it, I would want them to face the continuing challenges of bringing that into real life," he told Malkin.
From Social Media Rumours to Smutty Source Material
The interaction clarifies earlier rumours that Cyrus was a fan of Heated Rivalry, which had circulated after she appeared to 'like' a related social media post. She later clarified, "I have not watched yet, but this is on my to-do list now. It’s all I’ve heard about."
The show's co-writer and creator, Jacob Tierney, previously told Rolling Stone he was initially stunned by how "smutty" Reid's original Game Changers book series was. Arnaud had a similar first reaction, acknowledging being "overwhelmed... by the intensity of the sex scenes." However, he praised Tierney's approach, stating, "People are hooked by the smutty aspects... but I think Jacob really uses that to peel away layers. I think the end of it is quite emotionally affecting."
The exchange between the Hollywood star and the chart-topping musician has undoubtedly generated further buzz for the series, leaving fans eager to see if Cyrus takes Arnaud's advice and tunes in—and whether a musical collaboration might eventually materialise.
