Since the release of Heated Rivalry, Hudson Williams has become a global superstar and one of the most-talked-about actors in the industry. Williams’ performance as Shane Hollander in Crave and HBO Max’s hit LGBTQ hockey drama has captivated the world and earned him rave reviews.
The series has proven to be Williams’ big break, making the up-and-coming actor an overnight sensation. Fans cannot get enough of Williams and thankfully there has been no shortage of new clips to enjoy across social media as Williams continues to make the rounds, gifting us with one unforgettable soundbite after another.
While there is no shortage of interviews and clips to enjoy of Hudson, his filmography is on the shorter side with Heated Rivalry marking his first lead role in a major series. Prior to Heated Rivalry, Williams was best known for smaller roles in a handful of TV series as well as a number of short films. Among the TV series Williams guest starred on prior to his breakout role in Heated Rivalry was CBS’s most-watched show, Tracker.
Williams guest starred in Tracker season 2, episode 9, “The Disciple,” which aired just a few short months before filming began on Heated Rivalry season 1. The episode gave Williams the chance to play a character who is very different from his Heated Rivalry character, in a role that is honestly likely to surprise Heated Rivalry fans who give Tracker a watch.
We meet Williams’ character, Brandon Stokes, at the top of the episode in a small town in Missouri. As Brandon is leaving the grocery store, he’s attacked by a masked man who has hidden in the back seat of his mom’s car. Following Brandon’s disappearance, Justin Hartley’s character Coulter Shaw is called in to help work the case and quickly discovers an unexpected truth about Brandon.
You’ll have to watch the episode to find out what that truth ends up being, but let’s just say that Brandon isn’t exactly the victim the opening sequence leads us to believe he is. His story also comes to a close within the episode in a very shocking and unexpected way.
Speaking of Tracker, Hartley had nothing but love for Williams when speaking about his guest spot on Tracker with Entertainment Tonight at the Golden Globes.
"It’s great, isn’t it?" Hartley commented of the success Williams is enjoying following the release of Heated Rivalry. "Isn’t it great when you sort of run into people along the way and you see them having all this success? It’s wonderful."
It's certainly amazing to see Williams enjoying the limelight and breaking through following his incredible performance in Heated Rivalry. Fans of the show should definitely check out his episode of Tracker.
The episode is a fun watch for fans looking to revisit some of Williams’ early roles, and thankfully the episode can be streamed online via Paramount+ which is home to all seasons of Tracker. You can also purchase the episode directly on providers such as Prime Video if you are not a current Paramount+ subscriber.