UMVA has learned that Hudson Williams, star of the breakout hit Heated Rivalry, is facing intense backlash after an old photo of him with a swastika drawn on his forehead resurfaced over the weekend.
The 25-year-old actor is said to be deeply regretful of the picture, which appears to have been taken several years ago when he was in high school. The photo, which is circulating online, shows Williams with a group of friends, wearing a blue shirt with markings and writing all over it, including a swastika on the right side of his forehead.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the photo was taken during an annual 'campout' tradition, which often included underage drinking and drawing on each other's shirts and bodies for kicks and shock reactions. Sources close to Williams claim that he 'had no idea' what was drawn on his face at the time of the picture.
The incident has been characterized as a group of underage kids 'doing dumb things' while under the influence. Sources added that Williams 'deeply regrets' the pic and 'understands the hurt and disappointment' it's caused, noting that he doesn't 'condone or support' the offensive drawings.
A friend of Williams emphasized that the markings do not and have never reflected his beliefs, values, or character. This controversy comes as Williams has enjoyed sudden stardom thanks to his role as Shane Hollander in Heated Rivalry, a queer hockey romance based on popular books.
Williams and his co-star Connor Storrie have become the toast of Hollywood, invited to major events including the Oscars and the Met Gala since the show first debuted in November. In January, Williams claimed he was relaxed about people looking into his personal life, saying he's 'pretty chill' about it.
When discussing potential backlash, Williams said, '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.'
