Woman Whose Home Was Used in "Heated Rivalry" Shares 'BestKept Secrets' of the Filming Process (Exclusive) Natalia SenanayakeThu, February 19, 2026 at 11:30 AM UTC 0 Monika Rejnowicz @makeupworx/HBO Max Homeowner Monika Rejnowicz tells PEOPLE exclusively about what is was like to have her house used as a set in Heated Rivalry The home used as Shane Hollander's Montreal apartment is actually located in Ontario, the makeup artist reveals Reijnowicz recounts some of the filming process secrets, including the crew bringing their own sheets for intimate scenes Heated Rivalry fans were left buzzing ...
Woman Whose Home Was Used in "Heated Rivalry" Shares 'Best-Kept Secrets' of the Filming Process (Exclusive)
Natalia SenanayakeThu, February 19, 2026 at 11:30 AM UTC
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Monika Rejnowicz @makeupworx/HBO Max
Homeowner Monika Rejnowicz tells PEOPLE exclusively about what is was like to have her house used as a set in Heated Rivalry
The home used as Shane Hollander's Montreal apartment is actually located in Ontario, the makeup artist reveals
Reijnowicz recounts some of the filming process secrets, including the crew bringing their own sheets for intimate scenes
Heated Rivalry fans were left buzzing over all the steamy moments Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov shared together in season one — many of which took place at Hollander's Montreal apartment.
In real life, the sleek abode is actually a two-story house in Ontario, Canada, where bridal makeup artist Monika Rejnowicz lives with her husband and kids. In December, Rejnowicz went viral for sharing multiple clips of her real-life home on her Instagram account, @makeupworx, and comparing them to some of the scenes depicted in the sexy hockey drama.
Speaking to PEOPLE about the surreal experience, Rejnowicz, who points out that her whole career "revolves around love stories," said it was a "no-brainer" when the production team came knocking and asked to film the series at her home.
Rejnowicz says it was a "pinch-me moment" to see her actual home, and much of her real furniture, featured in the hit series starring Hudson Williams as Hollander and Connor Storrie as Rozanov.
"Everyone thinks it's an apartment — but it's actually a house," she tells PEOPLE of her abode. "They used CGI to add a skyline, which is honestly so cool. It completely transforms how the space reads on screen."
In a January Instagram Reel, Rejnowicz gave her followers a behind-the-scenes look at the CGI process, and how the production team was able to recreate the Montreal skyline that fans saw on the show.
While fans pointed out there were notably many intimate scenes filmed in her home, Rejnowicz says it didn't faze her one bit.
"Honestly, why would we feel weird? They're actors, it's a love story, and love stories have intimacy — gay, straight, it doesn't matter!" she says. "The cast and crew were always super professional, and they even brought their own sheets, so all good here."
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Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander and Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov in Heated Rivalry.
Courtesy Bell Media
Though her family had to leave during filming, which she says took place in June 2025, one of her "best-kept secrets" of the whole process was that she was allowed back into the house every day and "got to meet everyone."
At the time, the show, which is based on Rachel Reid's Game Changers book series, was created for Canadian streaming service Crave before it got picked up by HBO Max for distribution ahead of its November 2025 premiere.
Monika Rejnowicz @makeupworx
"This was a Canadian small-budget set, and no one was a household name yet, but everyone was so professional and just plain lovely," Rejnowicz recalled. She notes that she's had other Hallmark and W Network movies filmed in her home before, but she "only lets projects in that tell beautiful love stories and bring good vibes, and this one absolutely did."
Rejnowicz added that it was "really special" to see her home's design remain mostly untouched in the series.
Monika Rejnowicz @makeupworx
"Our home is very clean and modern, so it actually required minimal changes to work on camera," she explained. "The main transformation was lighting. They shifted it from bright and modern to warmer and more romantic — especially in the bedroom scenes — which completely changed the mood without changing the space itself."
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As for whether she would welcome the show back for round two (the series has been renewed for a second season), Rejnowicz says she'd absolutely be game.
"Our house clearly enjoyed its moment on screen — and we'd have no trouble welcoming it back into the spotlight," she says, adding: "Seeing the crew treat our kids like VIPs, and just being part of the chaos — it was a blast. Truly, it felt like our house got a taste of its own little Hollywood adventure."
on People
Source: "AOL Entertainment"
Source: Entertainment
Published: February 19, 2026 at 01:45PM on Source: RED MAG
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