Margaret Cho was originally up for a part in the critically acclaimed sports romance drama, Heated Rivalry. However, she could not take on the opportunity. Recently, the actress and comedian revealed why she turned it down. She attributed it to her fear of ICE, which she openly loathed, under President Donald Trump‘s administration.
Margaret Cho on why she declined Heated Rivalry role
The It’s My Party actress appeared on the latest episode of the I Never Liked You podcast. In it, she talked about major moments in her comedy and acting career. During the discussion, the host asked her if there was a lost opportunity that she regretted not pursuing and wished she could still do.
She said after some brief difficulty recalling, “Last year, I got a pilot script for a show that I really loved.” Cho continued, “But it shot in Canada, and I was so scared because I’m so vocal about hating ICE and hating this administration. I was like, ‘I will get detained at the border, and I will be put in ICE detention if I go.’”
The 57-year-old said that she struggled with her fear for a while. She added that she became upset and discussed the opportunity with people before turning it down. “And it was ‘Heated Rivalry,” she shared, surprising the hosts.
After acknowledging that she messed up, she revealed she was a fan of the creator Jacob Tierney’s previous work, including Letterkenny.
Cho subsequently shared that she had become a fan of Heated Rivalry, revealing she watched it. She also said that she hosted “rewatch parties.” Again, noting how turning the show down weighed heavily on her mind, she blamed Donald Trump for the lost opportunity.
The actress and stand-up comedian then hinted at the possibility of showing up in the sophomore season. She revealed that she asked the creators about appearing, teasing, “We’ll see.” Season 2, adapting Rachel Reid’s 2022 book, The Long Game, was confirmed a few months ago. It is expected to drop in Spring 2027.
Meanwhile, Heated Rivalry Season 1, currently streaming on HBO Max in the United States, is based on Reid’s novel, Game Changers.
Originally reported by Abdul Azim Naushad on ComingSoon.
