Heated Rivalry's Robbie G.K. Reveals Role He Originally Auditioned For, Talks Chemistry Read With François Arnaud
Robbie G.K. is dishing on his audition process for Heated Rivalry!
The 29-year-old actor first appeared in the hit series in episode three, playing Christopher “Kip” Grady, the smoothie shop worker that falls for Scott Hunter (François Arnaud).
While he wasn’t in episode four, fans will get to see him again on the show!
In a new interview, Robbie reveals that he first auditioned for a different character, and talked about his chemistry read with François, which resulted in a similar trajectory to leads Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie.
Keep reading to find out more…
“I was doing a very base level sales job in downtown Toronto where I was working 9 to 5. My agent sent along the tape and I originally auditioned for the role of Scott Hunter, funny enough, which I don’t think I’ve mentioned until now,” he told Evan Ross Katz for his Shut Up Evan Substack. “I had a really shitty mustache that I had grown out and a bit of a mullet too — the most classic hockey bro look. Somehow Jacob [Tierney] must have seen past the crappy mullet and the mustache and said, ‘Let’s see this guy for Kip.’ I had to shave and get a better haircut for the next audition, and then some time went by, and then I got the offer. We did a bunch of chemistry reads, some remotely, some in person, and that’s when I met François virtually for the first time.”
Robbie notes that his chemistry read with François was “effortless.”
“We were given lines — we were doing the scene in the smoothie shop where we’re talking about being a spree killer or whatever — and it was really trying to see what’s between the two actors, kind of like watching a first date to see if your banter and your tone and the way you’re picking up each other’s cues matches well,” he dished. “We did a couple of them and I thought everyone that we saw was great, but I remember when François and I did it, I think I texted Jacob afterwards saying that was our last chemistry read. Because as soon as he and I started chatting over Zoom, it felt effortless and like we were bouncing off each other.”
The actor also sweetly talked about filming with his on-screen father Matt Gordon, who he says was “so encouraging and such a warm presence that it was so easy to feel supported as Kip in the moment when we were doing scenes.”
Of his sex scenes with François, Robbie recalled his scene partner’s professionalism and able to just play well with each other, while also praising the on set environment.
“We had a couple of scenes where François was jumping on me or picking me up and he and I were kissing, and I think it speaks to François’s professionalism both as an actor as well as a person that we both felt very comfortable the whole time and were on each other’s team and felt like that was a world in which we could play in without any reserve.”
If you’ve been missing Robbie on Heated Rivalry, he also has a recurring role on CBS’ Sheriff Country, which just started this week!
We’ll also see him return in the final episodes of the hit Crave series.
While unconfirmed if he’ll return for season two, his character does briefly appear in “The Long Game” book, which is said will be the focus for next season, so there’s potential for him reprising the role!