Heated Rivalry fever is gearing up for its return—as if it ever left. The stars have started to return to Toronto, as Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie have been photographed multiple times before production on season 2 begins in August 2026. Leading up to cameras to start rolling again, fans have started to get antsy to learn who will be playing the upwards of 10 new characters.
All summer, fans have been trying to figure out who will step into roles in Troy Barrett, Harris Drover, Ryan Price, Fabian Salah, Wyatt Hayes, and Luca Haas new characters from throughout Rachel Reid's Game Changers book series. There have been plenty of fan castings, one in particular that didn't end up working out, but another is picking up steam thanks to a new fan theory.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians star Daniel Diemer has now emerged as the rumored casting of Ryan Price in Heated Rivalry season 2. Until the official casting announcements are made, this rumor, which is based on an extensive theory cited by social media followings between the actor and others connected with the show, Diemer's possible involvement in season 2 should be taken with a grain of salt.
Daniel Diemer rumored to play Ryan Price in Heated Rivalry season 2
Daniel Diemer, who starred in the second season of Disney+'s Percy Jackson and the Olympians as Tyson/Cyclops, is a 30-year-old Canadian actor who certainly fits the part of Ryan Price. Since the theory came to light, fans have pointed out a number of physical similarities between the Ryan and Diemer, one of the most highly anticipated new additions to the Heated Rivalry season 2 cast.
The character leads Tough Guy, which follows the romance between the anxiety-ridden enforcer and musician Fabian Salah. Ryan was name-dropped by Ilya in season 1 as a player who had been traded a lot and struggled to make friends. He's also known for fighting on the ice and is very tall and musclar because of his position. Diemer, at 6'4, has the height of the fan-adored book character.
But height isn't the only thing on Diemer's side when it comes to the rumor of his casting as Ryan Price. As the fan theory goes (which, again, isn't to be taken as truth), the rumored actor playing Fabian, Abdalla Amour, follows Diemer on Instagram, as does Heated Rivalry creator Jacob Tierney. Obviously, this is all hearsay centered solely in internet sleuthing. Which could mean nothing.
However, this trail of online breadcrumbs directed fans to the Percy Jackson actor, a clear frontrunner among the fandom amid a string of other fan castings that even included A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms star Peter Claffey. Diemer has the talent to embody Ryan's personal journey, from his love story with Fabian to his friendships with Shane, Ilya, and Troy (the latter being more complicated).
While Diemer stars again as a series regular in the upcoming third season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, which premieres in November, Disney+ hasn't formally renewed the series for season 4, giving the actor the availability to have a recurring role in Heated Rivalry season 2. That's another factor in play when it comes to casting, as we learned from the Jack Innanen situation.
As of this writing on Aug. 5, there haven't been any official Heated Rivalry season 2 casting announcements, though with filming slated to kick off on Aug. 10, we should expect the news to drop before any potential leaks. After hearing the rumor about Diemer, it's hard not to buy into the theory and hope that he will be our Ryan Price. He would make the perfect Pricey!
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