Exclusive Interview
‘Heated Rivalry’: Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova Talks Svetlana’s Future & Connection with Ilya
What To Know
- Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova, who plays Svetlana in Heated Rivalry, spoke with Swooon about her character and the support the female characters show toward Shane, Ilya, and more.
- The actress also revealed her reaction to Connor Storrie’s hosting debut on Saturday Night Live.
Heated Rivalry‘s Svetlana Vetrova, played by Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova, is one of the only people in Ilya Rozanov’s (Connor Storrie) inner circle. Her friendship with Ilya is a constant source of support for the hockey star as he juggles family turmoil at home and his brewing feelings for Shane (Hudson Williams). Svetlana hasn’t yet met any of the other notable women in Heated Rivalry, but they are all united in their support of Ilya, Shane, Scott (François Arnaud), and Kip (Robbie G.K.).
Swooon caught up with Kharlamova on the red carpet at the Actor Awards in Los Angeles earlier this week to chat with the actress about her role on the show, its runaway success, Storrie’s hosting turn on Saturday Night Live, and more.
When you were making Heated Rivalry, did you know it was going to take off this way and explode?
Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova: Oh, I don’t think I knew it was going to explode. I did know that it was going to do well because of the great acting, the cinematography, and the story, but I didn’t think it was going to explode like this.
When did you know it was huge? Did your socials blow up one day? Is there a big group text with everyone, and someone shared, “Hey guys, we’re big!”
Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova: I feel like it happened so quickly. Even before the show came out, people [who loved the books] came to the premiere, and it’s really interesting because it’s like, oh, they’re fans of the show, but there’s no show out yet! We had people supporting us from the beginning.
Usually, story for future seasons is kept under wraps, but Heated Rivalry is very faithful to the books. Do you know what’s coming next for Svetlana?
Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova: I know the story and what happens generally, but I almost don’t want to read the books. I kind of have this weird thing where like I want to watch the show and then read the books. I think the show is just slightly different or just different enough, but no, I haven’t read the books yet.
The female characters on the show are so supportive of the men in their lives. There’s you, Shane’s mom, Yuna, Rose, Maria, and Elena. Can you talk about how supportive the female characters are of Ilya, Shane, Scott, and Kip?
Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova: I think the women’s support systems are very true to life, like they are in the show. I do feel like often women are the first people that LGBTQ+ people come out to, and maybe it’s women who are the first people who realize [people in their lives] are gay. And they’re there to support you. I was really glad that they weren’t villainized in any way. There wasn’t any like, “Oh, you’re this!” Or, “You led me along!” There’s an understanding.
Did you see Connor’s Saturday Night Live?
Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova: Yes! He was awesome, so funny, and so animated. I knew he was going to do a stellar job. I was still laughing when I watched it and watching it again the next morning.
Is the success of the show opening any doors for you?
Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova: Yeah, I’m getting lots of fun stuff [to consider]. This is kind of like an actor’s dream where you shoot this great, heartfelt show, and then it just absolutely blows up. It’s so great.
You guys are all so young. How are you keeping your head on straight?
Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova: Most of the cast is really young, and honestly, I’ve said this before, but I think the casting department not only did a good job of casting great actors and unknown faces, but also of casting people who have handled all of this really well. I feel like a lot of people probably wouldn’t have been able to handle this as well as the cast has.
Heated Rivalry, Season 1, Streaming Now, HBO Max
