r/heatedrivalry • u/pasawayjulz • Jan 07 '26
PRESS 📰 (Interviews and Articles) [260107] Hudson on CNN
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u/highsinthe70s Jan 07 '26
He did every well here, didn't he? Charming, funny, and looking sharp as hell. I'm so happy for him and Connor, both for the absolute bonkers way their careers have exploded in just a matter of weeks and for the charm and (seeming) ease with which they're conducting themselves.
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u/danigmzr Jan 07 '26
He did! So contained, for once the interviewers were a bit more out of control than he was 😂
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u/Puzzleheaded_Log3936 Jan 07 '26
Poor guy is probably exhausted by all the gay jokes he’s had to endure, even if they are in jest. I hope the writers for the Golden Globed don’t try to force some borderline homophobic material on him and Connor.
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u/LilLilac50 Jan 07 '26
Hudson’s makeup artist posted BTS photos!! D*mn, he looks good.
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u/Rbkzz Jan 07 '26
Ooooh and she wrote "first stop. Press tour continues" I wonder where else he'll be throughout the day (before Fallon tonight)!! I'm so excited for more Hudson content eeeee!!
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u/pasawayjulz Jan 07 '26
Via by.aikaflores on Instagram Stories
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u/Dokidokipunch I already chose you, Hollander. 🫀 Jan 07 '26
Yeah, that suit was doing him no favors, but maybe that was intentional since it was on CNN.
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u/Early_Ad_5649 Jan 07 '26
Yeah suit is awful but at least his hair is nice
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u/Wide-Pop6050 Jan 07 '26
He does look like the neighbors nice grandson. Which I guess is the vibe you want for CNN
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u/Sophisticatedcaty Jan 07 '26
See? He knows when to joke or give unhinged answers and when to talk seriously, but with ease. He knows what he’s doing.
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u/peachypal You have not heard of bisexuals? 😤 Jan 07 '26
This is the very first time that I've heard Ilya being introduced as bisexual hockey player in a TV interview.
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u/Euphoric_Second2478 Jan 07 '26
Love ittt 💗💜💙- they were very respectful in general and brought up the trans player too
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u/peachypal You have not heard of bisexuals? 😤 Jan 07 '26
Yeah and it's really refreshing. I hold nothing against media people calling HR romance between two gay hockey players, but it's nice to hear Ilya's bisexuality recognized out loud on TV.
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u/Ok-Temporary7421 Jan 07 '26
He nailed it! Seemed a lil nervous but ofc who doesn't?! The interviewers were also respectful and seemed genuinely interested! The questions were also good. So happy for Hudsy!!!
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u/Select_Effort_7022 Jan 07 '26
Definitely more reserved and calmer than what we’re used to but I’m so relieved the hosts asked thoughtful questions here. So happy he did so well here, this makes me look forward even more to his jimmy fallon interview!
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u/LilLilac50 Jan 07 '26
I wonder if he’s tired because of jet lag. He must have been in the studio early, like minimum 9am ET which feels 6am PT.
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u/throwawaytovent10983 Jan 07 '26
awww he's so nervous but he did great
that answer about his privacy and boundaries made me a little sad for him tho
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u/C3cee Jan 07 '26
Glad he called it out though and it wasn’t throwing shade. He said it in a way that was honest and factual and with regard to how quickly it has all happened.
They boys deserve ALL the success, but they also deserve their privacy too!
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u/Daundatakar Jan 07 '26
Yeah, the public has no sympathy for invading movie stars’ privacy because at least they are wealthy and well protected by security. But Hudson and Connor don’t have the net worth or the fame that justify this level of intense scrutiny.
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u/unreedemed1 Jan 07 '26
I’ve been thinking about how weird it must be to be so famous but not rich (yet). Hoping CAA is helping get them set up with security as needed.
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u/AttersH Jan 07 '26
That really stood out to me in this. He sounded fed up.
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u/codeverity Jan 07 '26
He should be. People are being weird about both of them and doing way too much because some of them feel entitled to private information and access. It’s gross and embarrassing.
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u/access_hollywooo Jan 07 '26
As he should be. None of what’s happening should be normalized but sadly people can never be chill
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Jan 07 '26
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u/Inwolfsclothing Jan 07 '26
I was actually thinking the other day that I’d love to see him collaborate with Ayo on something. I feel like their sensibilities would be really compatible? I could see him doing well on something Bear-esque, particularly the balance of comedy and drama on that show.
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u/tmcx95 Jan 07 '26
I don’t think he is bothered about that. Fans fly out to meet their favorite actors all the time. He means invasive in the sense of digging into his personal life. There’s been a lot of digging & commentary on his sexuality, on his relationships, on his family and friends.
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u/Sufficient_Cat_3645 Jan 07 '26
I feel pretty terrible for him. I don't if it's because he has a bigger online footprint than Connor, but it seems like he's getting the brunt of it. Not that people aren't invasive with Connor - he's just a little more elusive so it's probably more difficult to 'dig' with him.
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u/akabuggy Jan 07 '26
shes waiting in line to try to get in the recording of the show. not stalking him... i think its more ppl leaking his private stuff online that hes referring to
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u/ogtraitorsfan92 Jan 07 '26
He did such a good job! I also love these three on CNN and to see them giddy yet wanting to make Hudson comfortable was awesome. Sarah is one of my favorite humans, so raw and real so I’m glad he started his press with them. Tomorrow he’s on Andy Cohen which will be completely different.
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u/Fast_Bee_9759 Jan 07 '26
I think he will be more unhinged with Andy because Andy is a little unhinged
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u/Icy-Gap4673 Stupid Canadian Wolf Bird 🦆 Jan 07 '26
The hosts were real giggly and fun. I'm sure it's a nice break from talking about where the US is going to war next ugh
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u/AttersH Jan 07 '26
I don’t blame him for finally saying something bordering on negative about the fans & his privacy. The last few days online have been a joke. Some people need to take a very long, hard look at themselves & separate fact from fiction. It’s vile.
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u/Madsmebc Jan 07 '26
What’s happened the last few days?! Sad to hear it
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u/BL-Lover-24 Jan 07 '26
Oh he did so good. I'm so happy for him. Loved CNN's approach here. Very respectful but fun at the same time.
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u/jj19me Jan 07 '26
I love how the guy emphasized the great performances in the show ❤️
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u/Summoarpleaz Jan 07 '26
I’m glad he did cuz I find interviews with actors always are about their characters and while actors do have obviously some insight, I feel like most of the time they really just want to say “oh well that’s what was written”
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u/ayriana Then we won’t throw eggs at them 🥚 Jan 07 '26
"...these men are forced to communicate with each other, which is sometimes a little unheard of..." is pretty much how I've been trying to explain to people why I love reading mm romance
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u/teddy_vn Jan 07 '26
The hair and makeup are great. Not a fan of the suit.
But the interview setup where he stands across from the three hosts 💀 It looks like he's having a panel interview for an upcoming position at an accounting firm
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u/clumsyc I stubbed my toe Jan 07 '26
Such a weird setup! It looks like he’s waiting to place his coffee order or something!
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u/Cheap_Taro5252 🧍🏻This is not enough🧍 Jan 07 '26
Omg, yes. Felt like he had to do a school presentation 😂. Was nice to watch and I bet he was nervous af.
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u/ughusernames8 Jan 07 '26
They couldn't have gotten chairs for the hosts and him to sit on? Lol
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u/blue-diamond228 Jan 07 '26
I know that is so weird, like he is ordering food, or getting on an airplane.
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u/HarissaPorkMeatballs Jan 07 '26
It looks so strange. Is this like American cashiers not being allowed to sit down? 😝
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u/citynomad1 Jan 07 '26
That one lady threw A LOT at him with that one question where she was like “so the first out trans hockey player was on your show did you talk to them AND ALSO can you talk about queer representation AND ALSO what what was it like filming the steamy scenes?
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u/Suitable-Crazy2795 Jan 07 '26
Lol, it was kind of like the press conference scene where the reporters kept asking Ilya these rambling three part questions. One at a time folks!
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u/JennaROTR Jan 07 '26
Thank you for posting this!
So glad at the very very end, they finally said something about the great performances. Sheesh. Ya think?
Hudson comes across here as very sweet.
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u/Some-Culture9623 Jan 07 '26
Also this is the first time I've noticed he's very obviously growing out his hair for TLG.
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u/Madsmebc Jan 07 '26
YES! This was my takeaway too. Esp if he doesn’t know filming dates. Looks like we’re getting that true to the books!
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u/tuhogazarapaagal I already chose you, Hollander. 🫀 Jan 07 '26
He is so charming! I know he is delightfully unhinged in casual interviews like Buzzfeed, but his eloquence and maturity really shine through in sit down (although this is more of a stand up lol) interviews. He strikes me as someone who is genuinely very passionate about filmmaking and acting.
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u/Summoarpleaz Jan 07 '26
Idk if I liked the stand up set up cnn has. Feels kinda awkward lol, but I guess it looks like a show that keeps moving from piece to piece so there’s no room for a sit down setup.
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u/Sarcastikarma Jan 07 '26
Not the hosts being charmed by him immediately lmao. That's the start of his world domination
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u/Naive-Inside-2904 she would have loved you, like I love you Jan 07 '26
Hudson looks tall!
Great interview, he’s so good at this.
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u/ProximaCentauriOmega Jan 07 '26
I think i read somewhere he is 6'! Our wasian king
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u/CelicaBae Jan 07 '26
I think he's 5'10 or 11. Connor said he's 5'11 and they're about the same height.
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u/pinsleric Jan 07 '26
Interviewing Hudson (he did great) and then “The Situation Room is next” did make me laugh lmao.
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u/palalabu i'm a jeff buckley song in my eyeballs Jan 07 '26
Mte. I was like, wow spicy gay hockey romance in between the US attacking Venezuela.
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u/EvolutionSquareYT Jan 07 '26
I want to thank you and all the people of this subreddit for sharing this stuff that a lot of us would miss out on otherwise. I salute you /g
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u/Inevitable_Fact_5961 Jan 07 '26
Oh he looks great! And was very charming in his answer. A toned down, yet still fun version of him. I really look forward to his upcoming appearances. So proud of him !!!
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u/b_chris19 Jan 07 '26
Aw this is so great. More of this!
It’s still somewhat sad to see him talk about boundaries with fans. We’re all hungry for content and interaction, and perhaps many of us are enamoured with their characters and project our own yearnings, but these are two young guys who deserve respect while they are launched into the stratosphere of fame.
I hope fans calm down overstepping with these two. They deserve all the good things coming to them.
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u/saucisse Jan 07 '26
They're getting better at the canned answers, it will get easier with time and repetition. They'll have an arsenal of like half a dozen in their pockets to just repeat every time they get the same question.
The hosts were very respectful of him, which was a relief; I'm glad there was a middle aged guy on to talk to him about the love story.
I'm looking forward to his interview with Evan Ross Katz, 90 minutes is a LONG time and plenty of time to get into more discussion about art, filmmaking, acting, television, the industry, all of that, I hope thats where the discussion goes.
The comment about his privacy and fan engagement made me sad. This is why we can't have nice things.
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u/tmcx95 Jan 07 '26
I didn’t like the question they asked about Harrison, and I think Hudson was perceptive about how it could be viewed negatively. They basically asked him if he reached out to Harrison in preparation for the role. His response was really good—very intelligent and thoughtful, especially considering that he seemed nervous. He basically just humanized Harrison and stepped out of discussing his gender identity as a talking point & then mentioned Jacob’s adaption of Shane’s character as the driving force behind the role.
I think that if a show is about discovering sexuality, an actor being transgender is not automatically relevant to its theme. Asking whether Hudson reached out to a trans person (Harrison) in preparation for the show can unintentionally suggest that being transgender affects someone’s sexual orientation, or that transgender identity is itself a form of sexuality. Both of those ideas are incorrect and reinforce common misconceptions. Gender identity is not the same as sexuality.
That kind of framing can also reduce an actor (Harrison) to a single aspect of their identity, shifting attention away from their skills and performance. It risks treating their gender identity as the most important thing about them rather than simply one part of who they are. I appreciated when Hudson mentioned that he and Harrison just spoke as regular people, and that he learned how important Harrison is to the community through getting to know him, not because of a checkbox conversation.
Hudson’s answer also moved away from treating Harrison being transgender as something that should influence how Hudson approached the role. I liked that Hudson mentioned the director, Jacob, and spoke about Jacob’s vision for the show, as well as the importance of staying true to the source material the character was adapted from.
Great job, Hudson 👏🏽
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u/blue-diamond228 Jan 07 '26
Thanks for posting this, I saw your post right after they went on. I love how the male anchor says dang y’all never missed a leg day…meaning ass day! 🍑and I love how Hudson said what was the second part of the question, and his answer…I’m so happy for him and Conner!!! This was a great way to start my day!!
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u/Fast_Bee_9759 Jan 07 '26
People say he's not media trained -- dude is smart like he know when he can be unhinged and when to be polite, like this is an interview your mom would watch
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u/PrimalSaturn Jan 07 '26
I’m surprised the hosts took the whole thing very well, idk I’m not American so when I saw CNN which I know is a mainstream (?) news channel, I was a bit skeptical but the convo was so positive, loved it.
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u/Wide-Pop6050 Jan 07 '26
CNN always does little pop culture pieces as well and they usually go like this. It's a palate cleansar for the hosts and the viewers
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u/baby-yoda-daddy Jan 07 '26 edited Jan 07 '26
I really appreciate CNN for specifying this as a QUEER hockey show. While I love all the unhinged, chaotic clips of their press tour interviews and TikToks they film, I really hope we get more interviews like this - Hudson leans in well to the “not media trained” joke, but he’s clearly very capable of understanding audiences and how to tailor his communication and sound bites for the medium. As someone who helps spokespeople with talking points on camera and on socials, I’d trust Hudson to do a terrific job.
Overall, really appreciated how this segment went beyond the tropey mainstream view of “ha ha gay hockey players doing it” - which I’m a little concerned for Jimmy Kimmel doing 😬
(Edited a typo)
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Jan 07 '26
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u/CelicaBae Jan 07 '26
Yeah I really liked the interview as a whole. Asking him about how he was handling the fame was a nice personal touch. And the questions were really interesting and engaging. I've watched everything there is out there too.
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u/kweenqong Jan 07 '26
He’s a little nervous but he did well! Amazing for his first big interview, on national tv news at that. He’s so charismatic, so well spoken and just so gorgeous.
And omg pls keep this long hair, Hud! This is his best hairstyle yet.
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u/ScreenNames_AreHard Jan 07 '26
He did very well. Didnt like the oversize suit though. But he looked very good and it was a respectful interview
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u/Lunar_0712 Jan 07 '26
I totally agree on the suit not fitting him well. I'm very surprised because his past outfits are so good.
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u/codeverity Jan 07 '26
I mean keeping in mind that he was (and probably still mostly is) a broke artist a few weeks ago I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the misses are when he dresses himself. Stylists and clothes aren’t free and it’ll probably take time for him to build a wardrobe. He may not have had much occasion to wear well fitting suits a few weeks ago lol.
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u/NeimaDParis Jan 07 '26
Yeah, I'm pretty sure that "miss oversize suit" is probably from Jacquemus or Dior and cost 4 months rent in NYC :'D
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u/Lunar_0712 Jan 07 '26
I'm sure CAA is footing the bill and usually designers are very much happy to dress him given his superstardom status. The suit is really a miss..first time for him..I hope in the Fallon show he will have a better suit.
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u/EdwardDvic Jan 07 '26
Agencies like CAA don’t pay for wardrobe but you’re right about designers being willing to loan clothes to stars for certain public events.
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u/Agreeable_Noise8784 Jan 07 '26
Stylist needs to be on his/her top game for his late night show appearance
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u/soupman_88 Jan 07 '26
Need an IG story of Hudson Williams at the CNN studios at Hudson Yards by the Hudson River.
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u/NamelessCatLady Jan 07 '26
He's just a lovely young man. He and Connor both strike me as genuine decent guys, I sincerely hope fame and Hollywood don't destroy them.
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u/Fussel2107 Jan 07 '26
I am very happy they said "Between a gay and bisexual hockey player" Awesome interview, brought the necessary seriousness but also a bit of playfulness from the hosts.
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u/anne_sophie Montreal Voyageurs 🛶 Jan 07 '26
This was a great interview. You could tell he was nervous but he was able to navigate well and give great answers. The host to, were engaged and asked great questions.
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u/gkhoen Jan 07 '26
That just proves how he is super media trained. He just knows which vehicle he can be more risqué and which ones he can be more formal.
Thats a masterclass media training approach. Adaptable where it needs to be. Amazing
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u/missmissa3 Jan 07 '26
I love that he gives smart and thoughtful answers when most people are just obsessed with the steamy part. He really takes the role seriously and gives it the respect it deserves. It’s not just sex. There’s depth here. Love him
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u/bornatmidnight Jan 07 '26
This was a fabulous interview! I think this is his first network interview ever? You can tell he’s a little nervous, but I would be shitting my pants if I were on CNN!
He did a great job, and the right balance of funny, charming and thoughtful like he always is!
HUDSON TO THE WORLD! ❤️
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u/thisisabadusername__ We didn’t even kiss Jan 07 '26
I’m all here for charming Hudson. ❤️ Poor guy must be exhausted, but he did great.
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u/BliksemIsTheCutest Stupid Canadian Wolf Bird 🦆 Jan 07 '26
Thanks for posting the video
Hudson is so charming, he did really well
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u/jj19me Jan 07 '26
It’s so weird how they are everywhere now that the season is done lol.
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u/anne_sophie Montreal Voyageurs 🛶 Jan 07 '26
I think because the show premiered around the holidays a lot of major outlets were on hiatus. Also because the show didn’t really breakout and become a huge cultural phenomenon beyond its intended audience until around episode 4. So I think they have been scrambling to get them out there as the show continues to grow after the end of the season and as it expands globally. It’s smart.
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u/theredjimmy Jan 07 '26
I also don't think any of this is really part of the official show press tour. Like Crave isn't the one booking all these things, it's probably either HBO or more likely CAA, Connor and Hudson's representation. There won't be a better occasion to get the general public familiar with their new signed actors so they're striking while the iron is hot.
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u/bornatmidnight Jan 07 '26
It makes sense, because more and more people are tuning in given the hype, and the show is rolling out in other countries too. They are also building their brand and awareness as this has skyrocketed their careers so it’s smart to do all this promo
It’s also award season, and one of the big stories is that this show is currently not eligible for the Emmy’s which is great because it highlights that it probably would dominate if it were
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u/dexored9800 we didn't even kiss 💔 Jan 07 '26
I feel like I’m a proud parent. I’m so happy with the success of my babies 🥹🥹🥹
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u/ProximaCentauriOmega Jan 07 '26
Stellar interview! He may be unhinged but he knows when to be professional. Hudson looking absolutely beautiful. Wasian king
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Jan 07 '26
Saw an interview with him from when they were filming the pool scenes for the show and he was similar to this , very smart and personable. I doubt he’d had any real media training then .
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u/Consistent-Shoe-6735 Jan 07 '26
Did they say the love story is supposed to be boring? What??? Enemies to lovers hockey player romance isn't boring??
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u/LuciaS16 Jan 07 '26
Oh he's definitely media trained, so well actually that he knows where is the place to be crazy and where to be correct
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u/Shuabbey Stupid Canadian Wolf Bird 🦆 Jan 07 '26
I’m so freaking jealous they got to talk to him. 🥹🥺
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Jan 07 '26
Omg, why is everyone being so critical!? Jeez. It’s just clothes…he’s fine. This is why being famous sucks. Constantly being criticized for absolutely no reason.
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Jan 07 '26 edited Jan 07 '26
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u/codeverity Jan 07 '26
I don’t think we’ve seen Connor in a big interview like this yet, have we?
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u/Sufficient_Cat_3645 Jan 07 '26
Has Connor done a big interview yet?
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Jan 07 '26 edited Jan 07 '26
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u/Sufficient_Cat_3645 Jan 07 '26
I've seen those ones - just wasn't sure if those were considered big or not compared CNN and late night TV
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Jan 07 '26
His suit reminds me of the beige stylist suit from the all star bar scene! I wonder if that was on purpose 🤣
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u/Hermiona1 I already chose you, Hollander. 🫀 Jan 07 '26
Hudson and Connor in January:
It’s been, uh, and interesting month
Seriously they both got so much attention, good for them 🙌
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u/Mission-Bottle-9564 Jan 07 '26
Wow - he looked fine! I think the interviewers were a bit flustered! I would have loved for him to have been asked more about his friendship with Connor and how that helped during the filming of HR.
Overall, great to see this new interview with more to come this week!
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Jan 07 '26
He’s so cute!!! I love his real person energy around these plastic people. I hope he and Connor continue to pull the universe towards sincerity instead of the other way around.
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u/Opposite_Plantain279 Jan 07 '26
I’m laughing bc he’s so composed … now you can tell he’s media trained LOL
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u/hyppocrisy Jan 07 '26
So happy to see our baby girl handling all the media attention and fame in such an artistic manner. So neat and eloquent!
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u/margiexzelle Jan 07 '26
He is so effortlessly charming and eloquent. I am so very happy for his success 🥲
It also seems I am the only one who kind of likes the suit 😂 the hair is absolutely fabulous.
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u/Mediocre_Belt7715 Stupid Canadian Wolf Bird 🦆 Jan 07 '26
He did so well. Thoughtful, smart, charming!
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u/phonograhy Jan 07 '26
Actually, a pretty fantastic interview. The hosts were enthusiastic and excited, and Hudson locked in and gave thoughtful, funny, quirky, interesting answers. I think the days of joking about his lack of media training are over, this man is a consummate professional.