A resurfaced high school photo has thrown rising TV star Hudson Williams into controversy, all due to one deeply disturbing detail. The Heated Rivalry star is reportedly deeply regretful over a picture of him with a swastika drawn on his face that resurfaced on social media over the weekend.
In the photo circulating on X, which appears to have been taken years ago, Williams is with a group of friends wearing a blue shirt with drawings all over it. His face is also covered in markings done with a black marker, including a swastika drawn on his forehead. Sources say the controversial image was taken during the Canadian actor’s high school days.
Context of the Photo
Sources close to Williams told TMZ that the picture was taken when the 25-year-old actor was still in high school, during an annual “campout” tradition that often involved underage drinking and drawing on each other’s shirts and bodies for laughs and to get shocking reactions. The outlet reported that Williams “had no idea” what was drawn on his face at the time of the photo but understands it is “completely inexcusable.”
Williams rose to fame last year in the hit hockey series Heated Rivalry, which earned him an award at the Canadian Screen Awards in Toronto last month. Sources added that he “deeply regrets” the photo and “understands the hurt and disappointment” it has caused, noting that he does not condone or support the drawings.
Response and Apology
“The markings do not and have never reflected Hudson’s beliefs, values, or character,” one friend told TMZ. Page Six reached out to Williams’ representative but did not immediately receive a response. The actor plays Shane Hollander in the hockey series about two rival players who embark on a secret romance.
Williams was asked about people prying into his personal life back in January during his appearance on Andy Cohen Live. “You can look at whatever I said, I don’t care … I’m pretty chill about it,” he said. “On a scale of freaking me out, it’s like a 2 out of 10. There are going to be people who have crazy reactions to it, but those people can take a hike because the people who have a healthy reaction are the only people that I care about or respect for having a developed frontal cortex.”
Previous Statements Against Hate
In March, Williams and several of his Heated Rivalry co-stars – including Francois Arnaud, who faced death threats over speculation he was dating co-star Connor Storrie – posted a joint message hitting back at toxic messages from the intense fandom. “Don’t call yourself a fan if you share racist/homophobic/biphobic/misogynistic/ageist/ableist/parasocial/bigoted comments of any kind. None of us need your hateful ‘love,’” the message read. “We all respect and support and love each other and are on the same side. If you can’t accept that, gtfoh,” the message continued.
This article originally appeared in Page Six and was reproduced with permission.
