ELLE Exclusive: ‘Episode Three Was A Full 180’: Robbie G.K. On Playing Kip In ‘Heated Rivalry’

It’s no secret, certainly not in 2026, that Heated Rivalry became a global sensation the moment it was announced. Based on Rachel Reid’s bestselling sports romance of the same name, the series arrived with a devoted readership, sky-high expectations, and a love story already firmly embedded in internet culture. Viewers tuned in for Shane and Ilya’s slow-burn chemistry and simmering sexual tension, but episode three took a surprising turn. Stepping briefly away from the main storyline, it introduced Scott and Kip, characters from Book One, Game Changer, and gave audiences another couple to fall for.

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Kip, in particular, became an instant favourite. A character defined by emotional fluency and gentleness, he grounded the series in ways few expected. Played by Robbie Graham-Kuntz, known professionally as Robbie G.K., Kip does not command attention loudly. He listens, observes, and shows up. The global response has been shaped in large part by Robbie G.K.’s performance, which is emotionally honest and deeply believable. Audiences connected with Kip because he felt safe and real, and just as unmistakably, because Robbie brought an effortless physical confidence to the role that made the character undeniably magnetic.

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In conversation with ELLE India, Robbie G.K. reflects on stepping into a role that was intentionally kept under wraps, navigating the uncertainty of audience reaction, and discovering Kip’s impact long after the cameras stopped rolling. From unpacking Kip’s inner world and the importance of queer storytelling to on-set friendships with his female co-stars and real-life smoothie rituals, the 29-year-old Canadian actor opens up about his time on Heated Rivalry, and the character who quietly reshaped its emotional centre.

ELLE: Kip existed on the page long before he appeared on screen. Did you read the books before playing him, and what surprised you most about the character?

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Robbie G.K.:I actually didn’t read the books before filming, and that was a very intentional decision. Because our characters, Scott, Kip and the others, were all distilled into this one-hour episode, I worried that if I read the books beforehand, I’d be carrying too much additional context in my head. There’s so much richness and history in Rachel’s writing, and I felt that trying to hold all of that while also honouring the screenplay we were shooting might distract me from being truthful to what was on the page for episode three.

So, instead, I really focused on the script and on the way Kip exists within that episode, including his scenes at the smoothie shop, his friendships, his relationship with his dad, and, of course, his dynamic with Scott. Those moments told me a lot about who Kip is: his warmth, his steadiness, his sense of humour, and the way he shows up emotionally for the people around him. I’ve started reading the books since, although very slowly, I’m a famously slow reader, but it’s been really lovely discovering more layers of him after the fact.

ELLE: What similarities did you find between yourself and Kip, and where did you feel you had to stretch as an actor?

Robbie G.K.: The similarities were actually quite immediate for me. Kip is working a job he isn’t particularly passionate about while quietly holding on to a bigger dream, studying art history, and building a meaningful life for himself. When I booked Heated Rivalry, I was working a sales job that I didn’t feel creatively fulfilled by either. That experience of doing what you need to do in the meantime while chasing something bigger felt very familiar.

There’s also something about Kip’s yearning to grow, to move forward, that really resonated with me. At the same time, Kip is incredibly emotionally available and grounded, and while I like to think I share some of that, playing him required a level of stillness and patience, especially in moments where he chooses empathy over reaction. That was something I had to consciously lean into.

ELLE: Episode three takes an unexpected turn by shifting focus from Shane and Ilya to Scott and Kip, with a noticeably different tone. Did it ever feel like you and François were briefly hijacking the narrative, especially knowing how invested audiences already were in the central pairing?

Robbie G.K.: I was definitely concerned. I think once we saw the excitement and reception around episodes one and two, how strongly people had connected to Shane and Ilya, both François and I started feeling a little anxious about episode three coming out. We knew we were doing a full 180: a different couple, a different rhythm, a completely different emotional temperature. That kind of shift always comes with nerves.

I did know from the beginning that the tone of our episode was intentionally very different. Aside from the ending, episode three almost plays like a wholesome rom-com. There’s a lot more softness and love, and far less of that push-and-pull tension that defines Shane and Ilya’s dynamic. So yes, it absolutely feels distinct, by design, but that also made me wonder how people would receive it. Jacob, also very kindly, had let me know early that the Bell Media and Crave executives really loved episode three and appreciated the change of pace, which was reassuring! And while there was definitely a mixed reaction online, some people felt it pulled focus away from the central narrative — I hope the payoff in episode five reframed that for at least some viewers. That kiss on the ice directly propels Shane and Ilya’s journey forward, leading them to the cottage, and it all connects back.

ELLE: Any highlights or thoughts from the day when your episode aired? 

Robbie G.K.: I remember the night episode three dropped very clearly. Kip’s involvement had been kept a secret on purpose by Brendan, Jacob, and the marketing team, so I really felt like I was sitting in the shadows waiting to see what would happen. I had no idea whether viewers would embrace it or completely reject it. I was genuinely nervous that people would say, ‘Boo, go back to the main storyline.’

At the same time, I like to think the episode brought a bit of fresh air. For viewers who hadn’t read the books, it offers important context, especially around why Scott and Kip can’t be open or interact publicly, and why that limitation is so painful and consequential. It grounds the larger story emotionally and thematically. Also, for the readers of Book 1 of Rachel’s Series, it introduced our characters!

If some people still feel episode three didn’t work for them, that’s totally fair. Any conversation around a show is good from a publicity standpoint. I’d just be curious to know how those viewers feel now, seeing the full arc. 

ELLE: Speaking of Kip, he often understands Scott’s emotional state before Scott even voices it. Did you think of him as emotionally fluent in a way that other characters are not yet?

Robbie G.K.: I think a lot of that comes directly from the writing itself. Rachel Reid’s character work is, as everyone would agree, very nuanced and, honestly, brilliant! And pair that with Jacob's direction, they both ensured that Kip existed as a grounding presence, living authentically, in a world full of men who are repressing parts of themselves. I would also like to believe that Kip is probably very active in queer spaces and has likely seen friends go through similar struggles to what Scott is experiencing. Because of that, he isn’t new to holding space for people or supporting them through moments of fear, confusion or grief. When it comes to Scott, of course, it’s more personal. But at the core, Kip chooses empathy every time. When someone you love is hurting, you can either protect yourself or show up for them. Kip consistently chooses to show up and say, ‘We’re in this together,’ even when it costs him something emotionally.

ELLE: You share some really distinct dynamics on screen with your female co-stars, Bianca and Nadine. What were those working relationships like, and how did they shape the energy of those scenes?

Robbie G.K.: Bianca and I clicked pretty easily from the start. We were having great conversations, getting to know each other, and we already had a few mutual friends, so there was a natural ease there. Everything kind of flowed. All of our scenes together were genuinely fun; there was a lot of laughter on set. I remember doing one particular moment seven or eight times, and by the end of it, we were laughing in the middle of the take. That comfort really helped sell the chemistry.

My dynamic with Nadine was different, but just as special. We moved around a lot for our scenes, shooting at the Kingfisher, at the hockey game, and in several other locations, which gave our storyline a bit more range. Nadine is incredibly smart, and she’s a fantastic writer, especially when it comes to comedy. She brought this very grounded, confident energy to the role, this calm, powerhouse presence that felt both intimidating and reassuring at the same time.

There were moments where her confidence really allowed me to relax. When she’d say, ‘Listen to me and do this,’ I was more than happy to say, ‘Roger that,’ because it was clear she knew exactly what the scene needed. That kind of trust is such a gift as an actor.

Off camera, we became really good friends. There were plenty of days when we were just hanging around set in between takes, chatting, laughing, and passing time while everything else was being set up. That camaraderie made its way into the work. We even grabbed coffee recently and have stayed in touch.

I know Connor and Hudson famously got matching tattoos, and Nadine and I have… talked about it. I can’t confirm or deny anything just yet, but we’ll see. We’ll wait and see.

ELLE: Playing Kip feels like a creative and emotional risk — especially in a genre that often leans towards familiarity and comfort. Has portraying him changed how you think about queer storytelling on television?

Robbie G.K.:It definitely has. What this experience really amplified for me is just how hungry people are for these kinds of stories when they’re told properly and with care. When you have a team behind the camera that truly understands the material, Rachel Reid as a queer author, Jacob as an openly gay showrunner, that authenticity carries through. These stories aren’t being made from the outside looking in, and I think audiences, queer or not, can feel that. 

There’s a huge market for queer storytelling that’s thoughtful, tender, and emotionally honest, and I really hope bigger networks and media giants are paying attention to this. When stories are told with intention and respect, including being unapologetic in how sex and relationships are treated, they don’t stay niche; they resonate globally. People are itching for them, and they’re ready for them to exist on a world scale.

When we made this show, and when I first auditioned, it was very much framed as a Canadian television project. And I don’t mean that dismissively at all; it’s just the reality of scale. First seasons don’t come with massive budgets. We weren’t working with blockbuster resources or spectacle-driven storytelling. There were no grand, cinematic set pieces designed to manufacture emotion. Everything had to live in the performances and the intimacy of the story.

So the fact that we’re having this conversation now, with you in India, and that this story has travelled as far as it has on the budget and scale we had, really says something. It proves there’s a world in which these stories are deeply absorbed and embraced by audiences everywhere. That response has been incredibly meaningful to me. There’s honestly no project I’d rather be associated with that has reached the scale and emotional impact this one has.

ELLE: Has the reception of the show allowed you to be more experimental moving forward in your professional career? 

Robbie G.K.: I think in terms of what I hope comes next, like any actor, to be very curious and stay open. I’m about to turn 30, and I feel like I have a lot of life left in me as a performer. I want to see what else I can get my hands on. I’ve loved watching Connor and Hudson’s careers take off and seeing how this sudden visibility might shape the roles they’re drawn to next. I really hope they get to pursue whatever excites them most.

I know Hudson’s talked before about wanting to be Nightwing in James Gunn’s universe, and I relate to that kind of ambition. I have similar dreams, being part of a superhero film, or something like Planet of the Apes or Avatar, where performance capture and physicality play such a big role. That kind of work really excites me.

At the end of the day, any opportunity to keep working as an actor is something I’m grateful for. And I hope that people watching this show might see something in Kip, and in me, and think, ‘That could be interesting for this.’ That’s really all you can ask for.

ELLE: You play a smoothie barista on screen. We’d love to know if you actually drink, or for that matter, even like smoothies to begin with?

Robbie G.K.: Hahaha!  I recently moved in with two roommates, and we make smoothies all the time. Without even realising it, I started making blueberry and banana smoothies — which is exactly what Kip makes in the show. I usually batch-make them and hand them out while my roommates are working from home, so I guess I’m still a smoothie boy in real life as well.

ELLE: If Kip knew how deeply audiences connect with him, what do you think would surprise him the most?

Robbie G.K.: Kip is just an average guy. He’s not a superstar, he’s not in the spotlight, and he’s not expecting recognition. I think he’d be surprised that simply offering someone acceptance, safety and love could resonate so deeply with so many people.

For Scott, Kip becomes family, refuge and home all at once. And that kind of quiet impact, one rooted in care rather than heroics, is something Kip would never anticipate, even though it’s exactly what makes him so special.

ELLE: Finally, do you have a message for your fans in India?

Robbie G.K.: Hey, ELLE India. Thank you so much for watching the show and for all the love you’ve shown Kip. It genuinely means more to me than I can put into words.

Also, read: 

ELLE Exclusive: ‘It’s Not A No It’s A Maybe,’ Says Heated Rivalry Author Rachel Reid On More Shane And Ilya Books And The Finale Episode