‘Heated Rivalry’ star reveals what viewers got wrong about key character

Heated Rivalry star Christina Chang who plays the most talked about fictional hockey mom, Yuna Hollander, has opened up about misconceptions of her character.

Chang, 54, plays the mother of ice hockey’s perfect poster boy, Shane Hollander (played by Hudson Williams, 24), who is keeping a secret—his sexuality. The six-episode series follows protagonists and rivals Hollander, the captain of the Montreal Voyageurs, and straight-talking Russian Ilya Rozanov (played by Connor Storrie, 25), the captain of the Boston Bears. The pair ultimately enter a steamy, secret relationship spanning many years, set against the backdrop of the hyper-masculine world of professional hockey.

Jacob Tierney, the show’s creator, adapted the best-selling Game Changer novels by Rachel Reid.

The Canadian series has captivated audiences worldwide since debuting on Crave on November 28. It reached the U.K. on January 10, 2026. Episode 5 currently holds a 10/10 rating on IMDb, tying with Breaking Bad’s 60th episode, “Ozymandias,” for the highest-rated television episode in IMDb history.

Speaking to Newsweek, Chang, who is American and Taiwanese, opened up about stepping into her role as a devoted hockey mom and what she believes some viewers got wrong about her Japanese-Canadian character—who some have deemed a “tiger mom,” a strict and controlling mother—while refuting the idea of a single portrayal of motherhood.

“I can’t think of this character as anything but a woman who’s protective of her son and a fierce advocate for him in life and on the ice. So as far as I’m concerned, this momager was, I’m kidding, but she was doing, of course, the best she could,” Chang told Newsweek during a video call from her Vancouver home.

When asked about stereotypes, she referenced that of the tiger mom: “If you mean the stereotype of a tiger mom, that certainly isn’t what Yuna is.”

Chang said she believes her character’s journey takes her from being extremely switched on in her son’s professional life—primarily wearing the “hockey mom” hat—to simply embracing being a “mom.”

The series follows Yuna, who is portrayed in earlier scenes as a “momager,” securing Hollander’s lucrative sponsorships and deals while supporting him from the sidelines.

“Every once in a while I dive in online and I see certain things and there seems to be like a back and forth. About whether or not she, you know, is she a tiger mom? Is she not a tiger mom? You know, is she the momager? Is she? No, I think,” she said, explaining that it is ultimately up for debate.

Arguably one of the most memorable and emotional scenes comes when her son comes out to her, and she is hurt that he felt he could not tell her sooner. Chang believes this is the moment when Yuna realizes she may have placed too much emphasis on his career rather than his personal life.

In the season finale, “The Cottage,” Shane’s father, David (played by Dylan Walsh), walks in on his son kissing Ilya. The lovers then drive to their parents’ home to explain everything. Shane tries to apologize, and Yuna, through tears, explains he has nothing to be sorry for—and in turn, apologizes that he felt he could not tell her.

“I hope that the show you know for anybody who might be. In the position that Shane was in or in the position I hope this is this normalizes it right. That kind of a response and interaction. And I know it’s reflective of some people’s experiences, but not all. And for those that are wondering or struggling, I hope that that’s the experience they get, or at least that it opens doors for conversations,” she said.

To embody Yuna, Chang drew from her own experiences of motherhood, including raising her 13-year-old daughter, as well as from hockey moms she knows personally.

“Some things just sort of came out of my mouth and I thought, oh, that sounds like something I might say to my daughter. But, you know, it’s sort of lived experience. And then, you being here, especially here in Canada, I know some hockey moms and a great, you know, I do have a an admiration and an empathy, or sympathy, for only because it just is so time consuming and it is like hockey moms are just a different breed,” she said.

“It’s just go go go and it’s such a competitive, athletic sport. I had some of these women in mind.”

She explained that she believes the key attributes of a hockey mom are fierce loyalty and advocacy.

Chang said she hopes viewers take away Yuna’s stabilizing presence.

“What I like about her is that she’s able to just stay in the room, you know, for the uncomfortable stuff, the bits that don’t feel natural or comfortable, or she just was sort of like, I’m here no matter what, and I love you unconditionally. And that’s what unconditionally looks like,” she said.

Season 2 has already been announced, but Chang says she is in the dark about what it will entail—but she knows her character will be back, and hopes she gets more screen time.

“My hope is that I get, and I think I will, get more time with Ilya’s character because now I feel like I’ve gained another son, which is in the books. So that is coming true, I hope. And my hope is actually that I come into contact with some of the other characters now, that her world gets to open up a little bit. I don’t know if that’s true. I don’t know what Jacob has planned, but I would love that. I would love to work with more of the actors. I’m just excited for the reunion on set. I think it’s going to be really fun to see everybody again,” she concluded.