Hudson Williams is staying with Crave following the breakout success of ‘Heated Rivalry’. The actor has joined the cast of the streamer’s new mystery thriller ‘Yaga,’ alongside Carrie-Anne Moss, Noah Reid and Clark Backo. The half-hour drama marks a first for the Bell Media-owned platform and builds on the momentum sparked by the global success of ‘Heated Rivalry.’ Production is now underway on the eight-episode series.According to Variety, ‘Yaga’ comes from playwright Kat Sandler, who adapts her own hit stage play and serves as writer and showrunner. The series is produced by Front Street Pictures and Blink49 Studios in partnership with Crave. David Frazee and Rachel Talalay co-direct. The show will be introduced to international buyers at the London TV Screenings through Sphere Abacus, which will also offer it as four one-hour episodes.
Mystery thriller ‘Yaga’ expands crave originals
‘Yaga’ centers on Rapp, played by Noah Reid, a private investigator who travels to a small coastal town to probe the disappearance of Henry Park, a young heir to a powerful fishery portrayed by Hudson Williams. Clark Backo plays Carson, a wary local detective. Carrie-Anne Moss takes on the role of Katherine, “a charismatic university professor with a taste for younger men.” The story weaves together secret lives, strange suspects and ancient magic, reimagining the myth of Baba Yaga.Justin Stockman, Bell Media’s vice president of content development and programming, said, “Featuring a truly exceptional cast, this series marks another exciting collaboration with Blink49 Studios.” He added, “We’re thrilled to bring Kat Sandler’s bold vision to Crave with this first-ever half-hour drama, and to continue setting the bar for genre-bending, unexpected storytelling.”
Cast and creative team behind ‘Yaga’
Sandler described the project as deeply personal. “‘Yaga’ has evolved from myth to stage to my first greenlit series, reclaiming the wicked witch and reshaping her as an incendiary feminist antihero for our time,” she said. “It reflects the kind of storytelling I love: propulsive, accessible, dark, funny, and unapologetically bold. I’m incredibly excited to bring Crave’s first-ever half-hour drama to life alongside longtime collaborator Mackenzie Donaldson, Front Street Pictures, Blink49, and Bell Media.”Mackenzie Donaldson, scripted television VP at Blink49 Studios, called the series “the kind of ambitious, genre-smashing storytelling we’re proud to support.” She added, “Bringing Kat Sandler’s singular and fearless voice to the screen for the first time is a thrill. This is a story that is truly unique and unmistakably hers – fresh, contemporary reimagining of a classic myth brought to life by an exceptional cast and creative collaborators.” Donaldson executive produces with Andrew Miller and Moss. Charles Cooper serves as producer.Hudson Williams is a Canadian actor best known for playing Shane Hollander in Crave’s hockey romance series ‘Heated Rivalry,’ which also streams in the U.S. on HBO Max. Born February 13, 2001, and raised in Kamloops, British Columbia, he began building his screen career in the early 2020s before landing his breakout role in 2025. He is currently filming Crave’s eight-episode mystery thriller series ‘Yaga,’ based on Kat Sandler’s play, where he stars as missing fishery heir Henry Park opposite Carrie-Anne Moss, Noah Reid, and Clark Backo. In 2025, he signed with CAA and also joined Netflix’s limited series ‘The Altruists,’ expanding his growing presence in television.
