‘Heated Rivalry’ Scores 18 Canadian Screen Awards Nominations
The nominations for the Canadian Screen Awards are officially here, and, to absolutely no one’s surprise, Heated Rivalry is getting the recognition it deserves. After taking the world by storm less than four months ago—when its first two episodes premiered on November 28, 2025—it feels more than right to see the series racking up not one, not two, but 18 nominations for one of Canada’s most prestigious honors. Yes, 18. And honestly, we’re still not over it.
For those unfamiliar, the Canadian Screen Awards are essentially Canada’s biggest night for film and television. Presented annually by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, the awards celebrate excellence across film, television, and digital media. Think the Canadian equivalent of the Oscars and the Emmys rolled into one. First established in 2013 after merging the Genie Awards (film) and Gemini Awards (television), they’ve since become the highest recognition in Canada’s screen industry, honoring achievements in acting, directing, writing, and a wide range of technical fields.
But back to Heated Rivalry, because these nominations? They’re stacked.
Leading the charge, the series is nominated for Best Drama Series, going head-to-head with Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent, Plan B, Saint-Pierre, and Wild Cards. Over in Best Direction, Drama Series, Heated Rivalry’s Jacob Tierney is up against heavy hitters including Nimisha Mukerji and Sharon Lewis (Allegiance), as well as Winnifred Jong and Sudz Sutherland (Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent). Tierney also lands in Best Writing, Drama Series, competing with Corey Liu (Family Law), Tassie Cameron (Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent), Ken Cuperus (Mistletoe Murders), and Allan Hawco and Robina Lord-Stafford (Saint-Pierre).
On the acting front both Hudson Williams (Shane Hollander) and François Arnaud (Scott Hunter) are nominated for Best Lead Performer, Drama Series, alongside names from Allegiance, Heartland, Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent, Plan B, Revival, and Saint-Pierre. In Best Supporting Performer, Drama Series, Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova (Svetlana) and Sophie Nélisse (Rose Landry) earn well-deserved nods, while Nadine Bhabha (Elena) is recognized in Best Guest Performance, Drama Series, proving just how deep the talent bench runs.
And then come the technical categories, where Heated Rivalry continues to dominate. Jackson Parrell is nominated for Best Photography, Drama, while both Véronique Barbe and Arthur Tarnowsky are recognized in Best Picture Editing, Drama. The series’ sound team—including Vincent Riendeau, Martin Messier, Joe Scandella, Natalie Fleurant, Simon Meilleur, Eric Med Lagacé, Peter Lopota, and Valéry Dufort-Boucher—lands a nomination for Best Sound, Fiction, competing against projects like Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent and North of North.
In Best Production Design or Art Direction, Fiction, Aidan Leroux represents the show, while Hanna Puley is nominated for Best Costume Design. The visual effects team—Simon Devault, Philippe Massonnat, Christophe Trépanier, and Félix Asenault—also earns a nod, as does composer Peter Peter for Best Original Music, Drama, along with a second nomination for Best Original Song for “It’s You.” Rounding things out, Jenny Lewis and Sara Kay are recognized in Best Achievement in Casting, Fiction.
And while the Heated Rivalry nominations are leading the scripted conversation, there’s also plenty to celebrate in the unscripted space at the Canadian Screen Awards. Canada’s Drag Race tops the reality categories with 11 nominations, including Best Reality/Competition Program or Series, along with nominations for direction, writing, editing, sound, production design, and Best Host or Presenter. At the same time, Drag Brunch Saved My Life earns recognition with nominations for Best Lifestyle Program or Series, Best Production Design or Art Direction (Non-Fiction), and Best Host, Lifestyle for Priyanka.
Altogether, these nominations paint a pretty incredible picture of where queer storytelling is right now: bold, visible, and impossible to ignore. And right at the center of that momentum, we find Heated Rivalry making its mark in a big way. We’d be lying if we said we couldn’t be prouder of this little Canadian show that started with what feels like five Canadian dollars and a dream. In just a few short months, Heated Rivalry has carved out a space for itself on a global stage, and we’ll absolutely be rooting for it every step of the way.
Winners will be announced throughout Canadian Screen Week, running from May 27 to May 31, 2026, with the main ceremony taking place on Sunday, May 31. The event will be broadcast and streamed across CBC, CBC Gem, Crave, and other platforms.
Follow us on X and Instagram for all queer stuff!
Featured Image: Image Courtesy of Bell Media and HBO Max.
