Connor Storrie is an American actor who rose to international attention for playing Ilya Rozanov in the hit hockey romance series Heated Rivalry. Born on February 22 in Aurora, Colorado, and raised in Texas, Storrie spent years building an acting career through smaller screen roles before landing the part that changed his public profile.
Since Heated Rivalry premiered, his career has expanded beyond television. He hosted Saturday Night Live in February 2026 and received his first Primetime Emmy nomination for the appearance. He is also developing his work as a filmmaker, including his debut feature Transaction Planet.
Who Is Connor Storrie?
Connor Storrie is an American actor, writer, and filmmaker best known for portraying Russian hockey player Ilya Rozanov in Heated Rivalry. His earlier credits include Riley, Tiny Beautiful Things, and Joker: Folie à Deux.
The role of Ilya brought Storrie a much larger international audience, but his career did not begin with the series. He had already spent years studying performance, auditioning, working in the entertainment industry, and appearing in independent productions.
Connor Storrie Quick Facts
His official Television Academy profile confirms his February 22 birthday, Aurora, Colorado birthplace, and 2026 Emmy nomination.
Connor Storrie's Early Life and Background
Storrie was born in Colorado, but his family moved to Texas when he was young, and he grew up in the Odessa area. His interest in performing developed early, eventually leading him toward acting and other forms of performance.
Before becoming widely recognized, Storrie spent years taking classes and working toward a professional career. His background also included experiences in clowning and performance, which later became relevant to his approach to comedy and physical performance.
His path was not an overnight success story. In an interview with Interview Magazine, Storrie recalled that he was still waiting tables in Los Angeles shortly before landing Heated Rivalry. That period provides useful context for understanding how quickly his career changed after the series became a hit.
How Connor Storrie Started His Acting Career
Storrie's early résumé was built through short films, independent projects and television appearances. His feature-film debut came with Riley, released in 2023, where he played Liam Hauser.
That same year, he appeared in Hulu's limited series Tiny Beautiful Things. He subsequently had a small role in Todd Phillips' Joker: Folie à Deux, playing a young inmate at Arkham.
These projects gave him experience across different types of productions before his career reached a much larger audience with Heated Rivalry.
Connor Storrie's Early Screen Credits
Credit databases can differ in how they categorize short films and minor appearances, so the table is best understood as a selection of notable credits rather than a claim that it represents every project he has worked on.
Connor Storrie in Heated Rivalry
The defining moment of Storrie's career so far came with Heated Rivalry, the television adaptation based on Rachel Reid's Game Changers novels.
Storrie plays Ilya Rozanov, a Russian professional hockey player whose relationship with Canadian hockey star Shane Hollander, played by Hudson Williams, becomes the emotional center of the story.
The series follows their relationship across years of professional hockey, secrecy, personal pressure and eventual emotional vulnerability. Storrie's performance made Ilya the role most closely associated with his name.
Who Does Connor Storrie Play in Heated Rivalry?
Connor Storrie plays Ilya Rozanov, a highly competitive Russian hockey player.
Ilya is confident and outwardly cocky, but the character also has a more guarded and vulnerable side. That contrast gives Storrie considerably more to work with than a straightforward sports character.
His on-screen partnership with Hudson Williams became one of the major talking points surrounding the series. However, the fictional relationship between Ilya and Shane should not be confused with the actors' private lives.
How Did Connor Storrie Prepare for Ilya Rozanov?
Storrie had to prepare for several demanding elements of the role, including Russian language and pronunciation, hockey performance, physical conditioning and the character's background.
Vogue Hong Kong reported that he undertook intensive Russian lessons while preparing for Ilya. His preparation also involved learning enough hockey technique to make the character believable on screen.
That preparation is important because Heated Rivalry relies heavily on the credibility of its hockey environment. The actors had to perform as professional athletes while also carrying the show's central dramatic and romantic storyline.
Working With Hudson Williams
Storrie's chemistry with Hudson Williams became an important part of the show's appeal. Their characters begin as hockey rivals before developing a relationship that stretches across the story.
The two actors have also appeared together outside the series, including Storrie's Saturday Night Live episode.
Their professional friendship and promotional appearances have generated significant fan interest, but there is no basis for treating fan speculation about their private relationship as established fact.
Connor Storrie's Movies and TV Shows
Storrie's filmography includes independent productions, television and larger studio projects.
His most important career credits currently include Riley, Tiny Beautiful Things, Joker: Folie à Deux, Heated Rivalry, and the upcoming projects that followed his breakout.
Notable Connor Storrie Roles
Riley (2023): Storrie's feature-film debut, in which he played Liam Hauser.
Tiny Beautiful Things (2023): A Hulu limited series starring Kathryn Hahn, with Storrie appearing in one episode.
Joker: Folie à Deux (2024): Storrie appeared as a young inmate in the Todd Phillips film starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga.
Heated Rivalry (2025): His breakout role as Ilya Rozanov and the project that brought him international recognition.
His current résumé shows a transition from smaller and supporting parts toward more prominent film and television opportunities.
Connor Storrie as a Filmmaker
Acting is only one part of Storrie's creative ambitions. He has also worked behind the camera and has been developing his own filmmaking projects.
This side of his career is especially interesting because it shows that his ambitions extend beyond becoming known solely as the star of Heated Rivalry.
Short Films and Horror Projects
Storrie has been involved with short-form filmmaking, including projects such as Coax and Jerry the Ginger Eater. His work in horror and experimental storytelling provides a contrast to the romantic sports drama that made him famous.
GQ has highlighted this filmmaking side of Storrie's career, including his collaboration with filmmaker Bailey Tait.
Transaction Planet
Storrie has also been working on Transaction Planet, his debut feature as a filmmaker.
In a 2026 GQ interview, he said the project was in post-production while he continued working on acting projects.
That makes Transaction Planet an important project to watch because it could demonstrate how Storrie develops as a writer, director and creative producer rather than simply expanding his acting résumé.
Connor Storrie on Saturday Night Live and His Emmy Nomination
Storrie's growing profile reached another milestone when he hosted Saturday Night Live on February 28, 2026, with Mumford & Sons as the musical guest.
The episode also featured Hudson Williams, creating a reunion for the two Heated Rivalry stars.
The appearance subsequently earned Storrie his first Primetime Emmy nomination. The Television Academy lists him as a 2026 nominee for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for hosting Saturday Night Live.
This distinction matters because the nomination was for his SNL appearance, not for playing Ilya in Heated Rivalry. The Television Academy's official record is therefore the appropriate source when discussing his Emmy status.
Connor Storrie's Upcoming Projects
Following the success of Heated Rivalry, Storrie's acting slate has expanded considerably.
One of the most anticipated projects is Heated Rivalry Season 2, in which he is returning as Ilya Rozanov alongside Hudson Williams. Current reporting in September 2026 says the second season is filming in Canada, with a spring 2027 release expected.
He is also attached to projects including A24's Peaked and the thriller Turpentine. His film April X, in which he plays Baxter, is another significant project from his post-Heated Rivalry career expansion.
Project statuses can change during production, so upcoming-film information should be checked against current studio or production announcements before publication.
Is Connor Storrie Married or Does He Have a Wife?
There is no reliable public confirmation that Connor Storrie has a wife.
Searches for his wife or partner often lead to fan speculation and celebrity websites, but those claims should not be treated as established facts without a direct statement from Storrie or a highly reliable source.
His on-screen relationship with Hudson Williams in Heated Rivalry is fictional. Likewise, fan interest in the actors' friendship or chemistry does not establish a real-life romantic relationship.
For a factual biography, it is better to say that Storrie's publicly confirmed relationship status is not established than to assign him a partner based on rumors.
What Is Connor Storrie's Career Known For?
Storrie's career is increasingly defined by three connected areas: acting, filmmaking and creative performance.
His performance as Ilya Rozanov gave him international recognition, while Saturday Night Live demonstrated his ability to work in sketch comedy and live television. At the same time, his independent filmmaking projects show that he is interested in controlling more of the creative process behind a production.
That combination makes his career broader than a typical breakout-actor story.
Frequently Asked Questions About Connor Storrie
Who is Connor Storrie?
Connor Storrie is an American actor best known for playing Ilya Rozanov in Heated Rivalry. He is also developing work as a writer and filmmaker.
How old is Connor Storrie?
The Television Academy confirms that Storrie was born on February 22. Current biographical sources identify his birth year as 2000, making him 26 in 2026.
Where is Connor Storrie from?
Storrie was born in Aurora, Colorado, and was raised in Texas. His early interest in performance eventually led him toward a professional acting career.
Who does Connor Storrie play in Heated Rivalry?
He plays Ilya Rozanov, a Russian professional hockey player and one half of the central relationship with Hudson Williams' character, Shane Hollander.
What movies has Connor Storrie been in?
His film credits include Riley, Joker: Folie à Deux, and April X, along with independent and short-film projects. His television breakout came with Heated Rivalry.
Did Connor Storrie host Saturday Night Live?
Yes. Storrie hosted Saturday Night Live on February 28, 2026, with Mumford & Sons as the musical guest. Hudson Williams also appeared during the episode.
Has Connor Storrie been nominated for an Emmy?
Yes. The Television Academy lists Storrie as a 2026 nominee for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his Saturday Night Live hosting appearance.
Conclusion
Connor Storrie's career has moved quickly from independent and supporting roles to international recognition through Heated Rivalry. His portrayal of Ilya Rozanov remains his defining role, but his career is already expanding beyond the series.
With Heated Rivalry Season 2 underway, additional film projects in development, an Emmy nomination for Saturday Night Live, and his own filmmaking work through Transaction Planet, Storrie's résumé is becoming increasingly diverse.
For anyone discovering him through Ilya Rozanov, his earlier acting credits and work behind the camera provide a broader picture of where Connor Storrie's career began and where it may go next.
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