Hudson Williams

Williams was born on February 13, 2001, in Kelowna, British Columbia, and moved as a young child to Kamloops, British Columbia, where he was raised.^[6][7][8] His mother, an interior designer, is Korean, and his father, a mechanical engineer, is of British and Dutch descent.^[9][10]

Williams began his schooling at a French immersion kindergarten before transferring, at his mother's suggestion, to Beattie School of the Arts, where he studied dance, music, and theatre.^[6] He later graduated from Sa-Hali Secondary School in Kamloops, where he played on the basketball team and trained in mixed martial arts.^[11][12] He renewed his focus on acting in grade 11, and has said that taking acting classes in Vancouver persuaded him that acting could become a viable profession.^[6]

In 2020, Williams moved to Vancouver to attend Langara College, where he earned an acting certificate from the Film Arts program that same year.^[12][13] After graduating, he began writing and directing short films and attending acting auditions while working as a restaurant server at The Old Spaghetti Factory in New Westminster.^[14][15] His first short film as writer and director was Snow Angel.^[12]

Williams has named Heath Ledger as his all-time favourite actor and has also mentioned Michelle Williams, Mark Rylance, Marlon Brando, and Parker Posey among the performers who have influenced him. Among filmmakers, he has cited Alfred Hitchcock, Billy Wilder, Ingmar Bergman, and Stanley Kubrick as favourites.^[41] He has spoken of his longtime love of queer cinema, naming Moonlight and Brokeback Mountain among his favourite films, and has cited Rooney Mara in Carol and Trevante Rhodes in Moonlight as inspirations for his portrayal of Shane Hollander.^[9][42]

Following the release of Heated Rivalry, Williams experienced a rapid rise to fame. At the Golden Globe Awards in January 2026, where he was also a presenter with Storrie, he announced a donation to BC Children's Hospital.^[8] On January 16, 2026, he made his runway debut opening Dsquared²'s show at Milan Fashion Week.^[43] That same week, he also attended the Giorgio Armani fashion show. Williams' presence at Milan Fashion Week received widespread media coverage, with him being deemed the highlight.^{[44][45][46][47][48]}

On January 25, 2026, he and Storrie participated in the 2026 Winter Olympics torch relay in Feltre, Italy.^[49] That same month, Williams met Canadian prime minister Mark Carney at an event promoting the Canadian film and television industry in Ottawa.^[50] He attended the 98th Academy Awards and the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party in March 2026, where his appearances generated a combined media impact value of $6.16 million for designer brands Balenciaga and Bulgari.^[51]

Williams was named a "Friend of the House" for fashion brand, Balenciaga, in February 2026, appearing in the brand's "Heart and Body" campaign and often attending the brand's fashion shows and events.^[52][53] In April 2026, he became the first non-athlete to star in a campaign for Peloton Interactive.^[54][55] Williams' Peloton campaign video drew massive engagement, amassing over 5 million views on YouTube within the first six days of its release.^[56] Williams attended his first Met Gala in May 2026 as a guest at the Instagram table in a custom matador-inspired look designed by Balenciaga creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli and eye makeup inspired by one of his favorite films Black Swan.^[57][58] That same month, Williams was also named a "Friend of the House" for jewelry brand, Bulgari, and appeared in the brand's "Gold & Steel" campaign.^[59]

In May, Williams was included Gold House's 2026 Gold100 list which celebrates the 100 leaders most responsible for shaping global culture over the past year. Williams was honored under "New Gold", recognizing the next generation of cultural trailblazers. ^[60] Later that month, Williams was included in Variety's "8 APIs Up Next in Entertainment" list, which celebrates Asian Pacific Islanders across entertainment and highlights rising global talent.^[61]

In August 2026, Williams was announced as a brand ambassador for Korean skincare brand, SKIN1004.^[62] Williams had previously featured the brand's products in a YouTube video detailing his skincare routine for The Cut that went viral.^[63]

Williams' influence on brands (even without official partnerships) has drawn widespread attention such as the viral demand surge for a $2 Canadian Tire tote bag after Williams was photographed carrying his groceries in one in August 2026 in Toronto.^[64] Similarly, his book recommendations have resulted in increased demand for the titles across retailers and libraries.^[65]

Williams has spoken publicly about the challenges of navigating his sudden rise to global fame, including privacy intrusions from paparazzi and unsolicited photography.^[66][6] In March 2026, Williams and Heated Rivalry co-star, François Arnaud, issued a joint statement condemning bigoted and parasocial behaviour among portions of the show's fanbase.^[67]

In a February 2026 Instagram story, Williams shared that he is in a long-term relationship with Vancouver-based tattoo artist, Katelyn Larson.^[68] The couple made their first public appearance at the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party in March 2026.^[68] In interviews, he has shared that he has ADHD.^[14]