{"id":2453691,"date":"2026-06-11T00:01:26","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T00:01:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2453691"},"modified":"2026-06-11T00:01:26","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T00:01:26","slug":"simu-liu-defends-hudson-williams-against-massive-hate-campaign-after-resurfaced-photo-sparks-backlash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/simu-liu-defends-hudson-williams-against-massive-hate-campaign-after-resurfaced-photo-sparks-backlash\/","title":{"rendered":"Simu Liu defends Hudson Williams against &#8216;massive hate campaign&#8217; after resurfaced photo sparks backlash"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\">\n<h3 class=\"mb-4 text-lg font-bold\">Key Points<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"mb-4\">\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-disc\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Marvel star Simu Liu showed his support for Hudson Williams after an unverified photo of the <em>Heated Rivalry<\/em> star as a teenager began circulating online and sparked backlash.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-disc\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The photo surfaced amid what social users have alleged to be a smear campaign against Williams.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-disc\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;I began to recognize patterns whenever people of color specifically had a moment of visibility,&#8221; Liu said in a comment online. &#8220;It happened like clockwork and I see it happening now. The internet is insane.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ew.com\/person\/simu-liu\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:Simu Liu;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Simu Liu&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Simu Liu<\/a> is stepping up to show his support for <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ew.com\/hudson-williams-11898842\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:Hudson Williams;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Hudson Williams&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Hudson Williams<\/a> after an unverified photo of the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ew.com\/heated-rivalry-11867005\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:Heated Rivalry;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Heated Rivalry&quot;}\" class=\"link \"><em>Heated Rivalry<\/em><\/a> star as a teenager began circulating online and sparked backlash.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Williams, who has been <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ew.com\/heated-rivalry-stars-hudson-williams-francois-arnaud-call-out-online-hate-11922591\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:one of the stars subjected to online vitriol;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;one of the stars subjected to online vitriol&quot;}\" class=\"link \">one of the stars subjected to online vitriol<\/a> since the Crave series adaptation of Rachel Reid&#8217;s <em>Game Changers <\/em>universe premiered in November, has come under fire after a photo surfaced on social media appearing to show him as a teenager with a swastika drawn on his forehead. The photo \u2014 which has not been authenticated and was shared by unverified accounts on X \u2014 ignited debate as users argued over its context and the circumstances surrounding the reveal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Liu chimed in on the conversation in a post shared on <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.threads.com\/@simuliu\/post\/DZY6HDBjqRk\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:Threads;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Threads&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Threads<\/a>, where the Marvel star stated that the controversy seemingly reflected a pattern of &#8220;massive hate campaign(s)&#8221; being launched against actors of color.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-primary p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-primary\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" class=\"flex-none size-4 -scale-x-100 text-primary lg:size-6 [&amp;_path]:fill-current\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M3.1 3.1V11h1.8V6.314l5.392 5.393 1.415-1.414L6.313 4.9H11V3.1zm17.8 17.8V13h-1.8v4.686l-5.393-5.393-1.415 1.414 5.393 5.393H13v1.8z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-primary hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p><i>Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander on &#8216;Heated Rivalry&#8217;<br \/>Credit: Sabrina Lantos\/HBO Max<\/i><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;I have this very specific trauma attached to people on the internet fabricating things about me and twisting things into a massive hate campaign when I first broke out,&#8221; the actor wrote, referring to his breakout role as Shang-Chi in 2021&#8217;s <em>Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings<\/em>. &#8220;I began to recognize patterns whenever people of colour specifically had a moment of visibility.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">He added, &#8220;It happened like clockwork and I see it happening now. The internet is insane. Bad actors are everywhere. If you&#8217;re here, be careful. Be smart. &#8220;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">In <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.threads.com\/@simuliu\/post\/DZY4FFGjtGL\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:a separate post;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;a separate post&quot;}\" class=\"link \">a separate post<\/a>, Liu slammed an outlet&#8217;s reporting of the situation, demanding they &#8220;stop picking on people of colour for absolutely nothing,&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">While Williams has not publicly addressed the controversy, a source close to the Canadian Screen Award winner told <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2026\/06\/07\/hudson-williams-swastika-on-face-photo-explained\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:TMZ;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;TMZ&quot;}\" class=\"link \">TMZ <\/a>that he was unaware of what had been drawn on him at the time and that the markings did not reflect his beliefs or values.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The outlet reported that they were told the photo was <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/halflife2cel\/status\/2063643984564732039?s=20\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:taken during a &quot;campout&quot; tradition;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;taken during a &amp;quot&quot;}\" class=\"link \">taken during a &#8220;campout&#8221; tradition<\/a> in Williams&#8217; Canadian hometown of Kamloops. During said campout, teens would &#8220;party and cover each other&#8217;s clothing and skin with Sharpie drawings&#8221; while out in the woods.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Along with the swastika drawn onto the side of his head, the photo of Williams shows a cross in the middle of his forehead, several names written over his cheeks and chin, as well as on the blue sweater he&#8217;s wearing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;The markings do not and have never reflected Hudson&#8217;s beliefs, values, or character,&#8221; the source told the outlet.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov and Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander on 'Heated Rivalry'Credit: Courtesy Bell Media\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/D2QM98Q0bCqw9YCNh2wzpg--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MDtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/entertainment_weekly_785\/8919d67b377cba334f1cb1019a256b58\"\/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-primary p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-primary\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" class=\"flex-none size-4 -scale-x-100 text-primary lg:size-6 [&amp;_path]:fill-current\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M3.1 3.1V11h1.8V6.314l5.392 5.393 1.415-1.414L6.313 4.9H11V3.1zm17.8 17.8V13h-1.8v4.686l-5.393-5.393-1.415 1.414 5.393 5.393H13v1.8z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-primary hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p><i>Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov and Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander on &#8216;Heated Rivalry&#8217;<br \/>Credit: Courtesy Bell Media<\/i><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The recent photo surfaced amid what social users have alleged to be a smear campaign against the actor.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">In the months since he gained fame on <em>Heated Rivalry<\/em>, Williams&#8217; personal life has also been under attack. Although neither he nor his co-star Connor Storrie have discussed their sexuality \u2014 and show creator Jacob Tierney has <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ew.com\/heated-rivalry-creator-discusses-question-about-lead-actors-sexuality-11859893\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:adamantly shut down speculation on the topic;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;adamantly shut down speculation on the topic&quot;}\" class=\"link \">adamantly shut down speculation on the topic<\/a> \u2014 Williams&#8217; relationship with <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.eonline.com\/news\/1429774\/hudson-willliams-girlfriend-katelyn-rose-larson-red-carpet-debut\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:his girlfriend;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;his girlfriend&quot;}\" class=\"link \">his girlfriend<\/a> has made him the target of <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/ilyasroza\/status\/2064015568596860929\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:accusations of exploiting LGBTQ+ culture;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;accusations of exploiting LGBTQ+ culture&quot;}\" class=\"link \">accusations of exploiting LGBTQ+ culture<\/a> to gain recognition while being perceived as heterosexual.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Williams <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/PinkNews\/status\/2022374004544225648\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:has only ever stated that he considers;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;has only ever stated that he considers&quot;}\" class=\"link \">has only ever stated that he considers<\/a> &#8220;sexuality to be more fluid than people think.&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova, Robbie Graham-Kuntz, Brendan Brady, Hudson Williams, Jacob Tierney, Sophie Nelisse, and Nadine Bhabha at the 2026 Canadian Screen AwardsCredit: Mathew Tsang\/WireImage\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/ogBDbzoA6kbHvFvEEuG8Lg--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MDtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/entertainment_weekly_785\/f59e36b3ad5c34ab5a0f1b104a90ee73\"\/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-primary p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-primary\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" class=\"flex-none size-4 -scale-x-100 text-primary lg:size-6 [&amp;_path]:fill-current\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M3.1 3.1V11h1.8V6.314l5.392 5.393 1.415-1.414L6.313 4.9H11V3.1zm17.8 17.8V13h-1.8v4.686l-5.393-5.393-1.415 1.414 5.393 5.393H13v1.8z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-primary hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p><i>Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova, Robbie Graham-Kuntz, Brendan Brady, Hudson Williams, Jacob Tierney, Sophie Nelisse, and Nadine Bhabha at the 2026 Canadian Screen Awards<br \/>Credit: Mathew Tsang\/WireImage<\/i><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">While being interviewed by <em>Heated Rivalry<\/em> costar Sophie N\u00e9lisse for <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wonderlandmagazine.com\/2026\/01\/28\/everybodys-thirsty-for-hudson-williams\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:Wonderland;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Wonderland&quot;}\" class=\"link \"><em>Wonderland<\/em><\/a> magazine in January, Williams reacted to the hate he receives: &#8220;I didn&#8217;t think there would be as many disrespectful people as there are. And vice versa, I didn&#8217;t think there would be as many respectful people as there are.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;I thought everyone would just be screaming, nice, or kind of like, &#8216;Oh my God,'&#8221; he continued. &#8220;But there are people who are like, &#8216;No, let&#8217;s be respectful to him and his private life. Let&#8217;s not share these photos. When we approach him on the street, let&#8217;s be mindful of appropriate times.&#8217; I&#8217;m seeing those comments, and that&#8217;s cool. But then there are disrespectful people who are just like, &#8216;F&#8212; that guy.&#8217; And I&#8217;m like, holy s&#8212;. Why are people hating on me? There&#8217;s also all this fake news about me. And I&#8217;m like, &#8216;How do I already have fake news?'&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><strong><em>Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ew.com\/ew-dispatch-newsletter-11812417\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:EW Dispatch newsletter;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;EW Dispatch newsletter&quot;}\" class=\"link \"><strong><em>EW Dispatch newsletter<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong><em>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">In response to the accusations against Williams, his fans on social media have begun speaking out in defense of him under the hashtag <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.threads.com\/search?q=ISTANDWITHHUDSONWILLIAMS&amp;serp_type=default\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:#IStandWithHudsonWilliams;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;#IStandWithHudsonWilliams&quot;}\" class=\"link \">#IStandWithHudsonWilliams<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;The 25 y\/o actor who picked a gay role, did it justice, always spoke up for the LGBT community, made queer movies with $5 with his friends for years prior, even as a film student, and whose own Vsco account show his actual beliefs,&#8221; one <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Namya_Hudville\/status\/2064010653753352515\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:user wrote on X.;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;user wrote on X.&quot;}\" class=\"link \">user wrote on X.<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;What&#8217;s becoming increasingly obvious is that some people have no interest in understanding the context or acknowledging who Hudson is today instead they seem more focused on keeping the controversy alive for as long as possible when no explanation is ever enough,&#8221; <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/perfectkillah\/status\/2064101887821922508\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:another X user wrote;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;another X user wrote&quot;}\" class=\"link \">another X user wrote<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"Fran\u00e7ois Arnaud as Scott Hunter and Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander on 'Heated Rivalry'Credit: Sabrina Lantos\/HBO Max\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/BbZqxQk8NCWKprpZHfgTVQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MDtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/entertainment_weekly_785\/7a169cb99fee0147fe7ed7e74208419c\"\/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-primary p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-primary\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" class=\"flex-none size-4 -scale-x-100 text-primary lg:size-6 [&amp;_path]:fill-current\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M3.1 3.1V11h1.8V6.314l5.392 5.393 1.415-1.414L6.313 4.9H11V3.1zm17.8 17.8V13h-1.8v4.686l-5.393-5.393-1.415 1.414 5.393 5.393H13v1.8z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-primary hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p><i>Fran\u00e7ois Arnaud as Scott Hunter and Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander on &#8216;Heated Rivalry&#8217;<br \/>Credit: Sabrina Lantos\/HBO Max<\/i><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">A <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.threads.com\/@carolsobral.adv\/post\/DZU3chAHIDy\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:user on Threads wrote;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;user on Threads wrote&quot;}\" class=\"link \">user on Threads wrote<\/a>, &#8220;We need to have a very serious and uncomfortable conversation. This level of vitriol directed at Hudson comes from a faction of the fandom, and that faction openly claims to support the show&#8217;s white lead. Things do not exist in a vacuum.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Others have decried <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.threads.com\/@bellirina_\/post\/DZUL1bODjFL\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:the use of marginalized communities;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;the use of marginalized communities&quot;}\" class=\"link \">the use of marginalized communities<\/a> in a bid for a &#8220;gotcha&#8221; moment against the actor, as well as the invasiveness of <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.threads.com\/@instamawoee\/post\/DZTI6VYgFI-\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:digging into private citizens' accounts;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;digging into private citizens'&quot;}\" class=\"link \">digging into private citizens&#8217; accounts<\/a> to find photos of Williams as a teenager.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Reps for Crave, Williams, and Liu did not immediately respond when <em>Entertainment Weekly<\/em> reached out for comment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Read the original article on <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ew.com\/simu-liu-defends-hudson-williams-after-resurfaced-photo-sparks-backlash-11995264\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:Entertainment Weekly;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Entertainment Weekly&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Entertainment Weekly<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Points Marvel star Simu Liu showed his support for Hudson Williams after an unverified photo of the Heated Rivalry star as a teenager began circulating online and sparked backlash. The photo surfaced amid what social users have alleged to be a smear campaign against Williams. &#8220;I began to recognize patterns whenever people of color [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2453692,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25172],"tags":[482220,419961,416224,347331,408500],"class_list":["post-2453691","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","tag-hate-campaign","tag-heated-rivalry","tag-hudson-williams","tag-simu-liu","tag-smear-campaign"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Simu-Liu-defends-Hudson-Williams-against-massive-hate-campaign-after.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2453691","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2453691"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2453691\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2453693,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2453691\/revisions\/2453693"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2453692"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2453691"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2453691"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2453691"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}