In a new interview with Pop Culture Unplugged w/ Elias, Nadine Bhabha opened up about joining the hit hockey romance series Heated Rivalry, playing Elena, and why the character’s role as Kip’s closest confidant makes her one of the show’s emotional anchors.
Bhabha revealed that her path to the role was far from typical. Instead of going through a lengthy audition process, she was personally contacted by series creator Jacob Tierney, whom she had worked with previously.
“Jacob Tierney and I have worked together for years, and he just called and said, ‘Do you want to play this part?’ And I said, ‘Whatever you want me to do, I will do.’”
She also shared that she was the first cast member officially attached to the series, helping establish the tone of the show before the rest of the ensemble came together.
“Brendan and Jacob said that I was the first person they cast, so they got that out of the way and then moved on to building their boys.”
When approaching Elena, Bhabha didn’t initially turn to the source material for guidance. Instead, she focused on the scripts and treated the character as someone entirely her own.
“I was just like, I’m going to deal with the script. Almost everything is based on books now, and you’d be reading books all day long. It didn’t even occur to me at first to know what happens next.”
Eventually, curiosity took over.
“A couple months later, I was like, well… what does happen next? So then that’s when I started to get into them.”
Bhabha feels a strong personal connection to Elena, describing the character as someone who mirrors her own role within her friend group.
“I’m kind of like the keeper of everybody. Like, ‘You said you weren’t going to do that, but now you are.’ That is very much me.”
She went on to describe Elena as a friend who blends fun with blunt honesty.
“I would describe Eleanor as rough love. She’s really invested in her friends’ happiness and their future. She’s fun and funny and down for a good time, but if she sees something, she’s going to tell you how it is.”
At the heart of Heated Rivalry is Elena’s lifelong friendship with Kip, a bond Bhabha describes as almost sibling-like.
“In the way that they speak to each other, there’s a sibling dynamic almost. They’re so comfortable with each other.”
That chemistry was helped by her real-life rapport with her co-star.
“Robbie and I had met beforehand, so it was nice to transpose our new friendship onto a real friendship that exists in my life.”
Much of the fandom has debated whether Elena had the right to interfere when Kip appeared miserable in his relationship with Scott. Bhabha believes Elena’s actions came from a place of concern rather than judgment.
“I don’t think she labels it unhealthy. I think she understands the nuance. You can have unhealthy behaviors inside something healthy. I think she was just sort of saying, ‘Be honest with yourself.’”
She even embraced Elena’s self-appointed role in Kip’s emotional life.
“Why not? A little bit of a goalie for his heart.”
By the end of Season 1, Elena finds herself witnessing a historic moment as Kip publicly embraces his truth. For Bhabha, that moment resonated because the story allows time to pass naturally.
“It’s not like everything happens in three days. Time passes. These characters get to live in it.”
As for what comes next, Bhabha hopes future seasons explore more of Elena’s personal world — including her hinted-at career and home life.
“Any chance to flesh her out more and give her other colors, I’d love that.”
She also reflected on how quickly the series connected with audiences.
“If anyone says they’re not surprised, they’re lying. It’s really special when people are actually watching and talking about it.”
Outside of Heated Rivalry, Bhabha is staying busy behind the scenes as a writer on the upcoming series Slow Pitch, a queer softball mockumentary.
“I’m a writer on the show. I pop in for a little bit, but I’m mainly writing.”
For Bhabha, the success of Heated Rivalry feels especially meaningful because of the response from viewers who see themselves reflected in the story.
“You can work for years and years and people know that you’re working, but people don’t necessarily watch everything. It’s really lovely when people are actually watching and enjoying it together.”
With Season 2 on the horizon, fans can expect Elena to remain a steady presence — offering tough love, loyalty, and the occasional emotional save for her best friend.