Hudson Williams at the 2026 Oscars? Fans are already rolling their eyes: 'Actors who star in nominated films do not get chance the to attend but…'

Heated Rivalry star Hudson Willaims will be attending the 2026 Oscars, but cine buffs are not thrilled about it. While the 25 year old Canadian actor has become a household name thanks to his role as Shane Hollander in the hit hockey romance series, some viewers feel his presence at the Academy Awards feels a little premature.

The frustration stems from the recent trend of inviting social media famous faces and breakout TV stars to film's biggest night, even when they don't have a movie to promote. Williams has not appeared in any Oscar nominated films this year, and fans are questioning why he is walking the Dolby Theatre carpet alongside actual film contenders .



Details about Williams's role at the Oscars are still a little fuzzy. It is not clear whether he will be presenting an award or simply attending as a guest. Given his rapid rise to fame after signing with CAA in December 2025 and his recent appearances at major events like the Golden Globes, it is possible the Academy or the show's producers simply want him in the room.



Sometimes, these invites are extended to rising stars who bring youthful energy and a massive online following to the telecast. However, until there is an official announcement about him handing out a trophy, fans are left assuming he is just there to be seen, which is fueling the fire even more.



Fans are drawing comparisons to previous years when internet famous influencers and buzzy TV actors were spotted in the audience, leading to confusion about why they were there. The main argument is that Williams has not yet made a significant contribution to the film industry, at least not in the way the Oscars traditionally celebrate.

One user wrote, "Mind you so many actors who starred in nominated films will not get their chance to attend but yeah." "This is like inviting a TikTok influencer," another user said.

A third user argued, "No offense, but how does Hudson Williams, who has no movie-related nominee this year, get invited so quickly, while Rachel Zegler, who starred in the 7-time Oscar-nominated West Side Story, wasn’t invited at first and only got one after everyone had to call out the Oscars and Disney? I get that she was filming Snow White at the time, but Disney didn’t even bother trying to get her an invitation until the backlash started."





To make matters worse, fans are also demanding to know why Williams's co-star and onscreen other half, Connor Storrie, is seemingly not attending. Storrie has been just as busy on the awards circuit, even presenting at the 2026 Actor Awards (the renamed SAG Awards) on March 1. To fans, the pair are a packaged deal, and the idea of one half of Heated Rivalry walking the Oscars carpet without the other feels wrong.



The event is set to take place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Sunday, March 15, with the red carpet kicking off in the early afternoon. Whether Storrie ends up making a surprise appearance or Williams flies solo remains to be seen, but all eyes will be on the Heated Rivalry star when he steps into the room.