Hudson Williams said he made himself look 'ugly' for this movie shooting in Hamilton, Toronto

Hudson Williams arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Invision-Richard Shotwell

TORONTO — Shane Hollander, is that you?

Some fans might be doing a double-take as photos online show “Heated Rivalry” star Hudson Williams styled for his new movie, “Apparatus.”

The normally red-carpet-ready star isn’t exactly in Hollywood glam for the role, sporting oversized jackets, wrinkled Polos and worn-in sneakers with Velcro straps, as seen in photos shared on social media.

Speaking with Vogue Magazine at last week’s MET Gala, the Kelowna-born star spoke about taking a mini-break from shooting the film to get glammed up and “not be ugly” on fashion’s biggest night.

“I was really ugly in this movie,” he told Vogue correspondent Emma Chamberlain, describing “putting my little acne on every morning; my under-eye bags.”

In “Apparatus” he plays a rideshare driver who is offered an opportunity to work in the handheld-massager business. Things spiral out of control as the dark-comedic thriller unfolds.

The film is the feature directorial debut of Canadian actress Sofia Banzhaf, who also co-produced and co-wrote on the project. Previously she has starred in the films “Closet Monster,” and “Dream Scenario.”

It co-stars Dylan O’Brien, most known for his role on the series “Teen Wolf,” and earlier this year was seen alongside Rachel McAdams in the survival horror film “Send Help.”

The movie is produced by Canadians Julie Baldassi, Daniel Bekerman, Brian Robertson, and co-writer Grayson Moore.

Production did not provide comment.

It received funding through Telefilm’s Production Program in 2023 — $30,000 in development and $475,000 in production, the organization said.

“Apparatus” has Mongrel Media attached as one of the production companies, but no release date has been set.

The film marks Williams’ return to Toronto and The Hammer, where parts of the mega-hit TV series “Heated Rivalry” were shot last year.

Shooting in Hamilton began in April, as reported by the Hamilton Spectator, while filming in Toronto is wrapping up Friday, city officials said.

Williams and co-star Connor Storrie are set reunite for Season 2 of “Heated Rivalry,” but details around the filming start date have yet to be released.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 13, 2026.

Craig Macrae, The Canadian Press