In the viral Crave and HBO Max series Heated Rivalry, the character of Scott Hunter is portrayed by Canadian actor François Arnaud. If you think that you may have seen him before, you are not wrong, since the actor has a diverse portfolio across various television shows.
Being an adaptation from Rachel Reid’s beloved hockey romance novels, Heated Rivalry sees Arnaud as Scott Hunter, a New York admiral captain and one of the key players in this world of hockey and romance. So, here’s where you might have seen François Arnaud in other roles.
Here’s an overview of Heated Rivalry:
Key Facts About:Heated RivalryCreated By:Jacob TierneyCast:François ArnaudHudson WilliamsConnor StorrieChristina ChangInitial Release Date:November 28, 2025IMDb Rating:9.1/10Rotten Tomatoes Score:96%No. of Episodes:6Production House:Accent Aigu EntertainmentBell MediaNetwork:Crave
François Arnaud was the Renaissance heartthrob in The Borgias
François Arnaud in a still from The Borgias | Credits: Myriad Pictures
Arnaud’s breakout role in the television industry was arguably the role of Cesare Borgia in the Showtime period drama, The Borgias. Debuting in 2011 and running for a total of three years, Arnaud starred alongside Jeremy Irons and played the ruthless yet charismatic son of Pope Alexander VI.
His performance as the cunning and lethal Cesare made him a household name (not to mention, a Renaissance heartthrob) and established him as a leading man capable of balancing intensity with vulnerability.
These traits, which made him famous in The Borgias, were later seen quite beautifully in his character of closeted Scott Hunter in Heated Rivalry.
Key Facts About:The BorgiasCreated By:Neil JordanCast:Jeremy Irons, François Arnaud, Holliday Grainger, Peter Sullivan, Sean HarrisInitial Release Date:April 3, 2011IMDb Rating:7.9/10Rotten Tomatoes Score:85%No. of Episodes:29Production House:Myriad PicturesWhere to Watch:Paramount+
He Was Jane’s Mysterious Contact in Blindspot
François Arnaud as Oscar in a still from Blindspot | Credits: Berlanti Productions
A mysterious woman who doesn’t remember her past is used by the FBI team to uncover a network of crimes and criminals via the tattoos on her body. If the story sounds familiar, it’s because this is the story of NBC’s action thriller show Blindspot.
Fans of the show will quickly recognize François Arnaud as Oscar, the mysterious man from Jane Doe’s past. Although appearing primarily in the first and second seasons, Oscar was the one who left Jane instructions via her tattoos and claimed to be her former fiancé.
Although not exactly the main lead of the show, his role was central to the show’s early mythology and provided some of the biggest twists and understandings of Jane Doe’s past.
Key Facts About:BlindspotCreated By:Martin GeroCast:Sullivan Stapleton, Jamie Alexander, Rob Brown, Audrey Esparza, Ashley JohnsonInitial Release Date:September 21, 2015IMDb Rating:7.3/10Rotten Tomatoes Score:73% (Audience Score)No. of Episodes:100Production House:Berlanti ProductionsWhere to Watch:Netflix
François Arnaud Was the Lead in Midnight, Texas
François Arnaud in a still from Midnight, Texas | Credits: Universal Television
Following roles in several shows, François Arnaud took the center stage as Manfred Bernardo in another NBC show, Midnight, Texas, that ran from 2017 to 2018.
The show was based on the books by Charlaine Harris, in which François Arnaud portrayed the role of a psychic who could communicate with the dead.
Running from his troubles, the psychic stumbles upon the town of Midnight in Texas. Communicating with the dead makes him the emotional anchor of a town that is essentially filled with vampires, witches, and fallen angels.
Although the show was canceled after two seasons because of low success, Midnight, Texas remained one of François Arnaud’s stronger projects.
Key Facts About:Midnight, TexasBased On:Midnight, Texas by Charlaine HarrisCast:François Arnaud, Dylan Bruce, Parisa Fitz-Henley, Arielle Kebbel, Jason LewisInitial Release Date:July 24, 2017IMDb Rating:7.3/10Rotten Tomatoes Score:61%No. of Episodes:19Production House:Universal TelevisionWhere to Watch:Amazon
He Was David Rose’s Ex in Schitt’s Creek
François Arnaud as Sebastian Raine in a still from Schitt’s Creek | Credits: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Perhaps one of his most famous roles (although being a guest turn), François Arnaud appeared in the season 3 episode of Schitt’s Creek titled “Sebastian Raine”. He played the titular character of Sebastian Raine, a world-renowned and incredibly pretentious photographer, who also happened to be David Rose’s ex-boyfriend.
His arrival in Schitt’s Creek caused quite a stir, particularly when he tried to exploit the Rose family for a photo series. Although he wasn’t given the best of the spotlight, Arnaud managed to hold his own in an iconic show, and that says a lot about his acting.
Schitt’s Creek found worldwide fame, and with that, François Arnaud had plenty to share with his co-stars through a simple guest turn in a single episode of the show.
Key Facts About:Schitt’s CreekCreated By:Eugene Levy, Daniel LevyCast:Catherine O’Hara, Annie Murphy, Jennifer Robertson, Emily Hampshire, Tim RozonInitial Release Date:January 13, 2015IMDb Rating:8.5/10Rotten Tomatoes Score:93%No. of Episodes:80Production House:Canadian Broadcasting CorporationWhere to Watch:Hulu
François Arnaud Was Also in Yellowjackets, UnREAL, and More
If none of these shows ring a bell, we are pretty sure that you might have seen François Arnaud in the survival drama Yellowjackets. Being the hit Showtime series, Arnaud appeared during the show’s second season as Paul.
The secret boyfriend of Coach Ben Scott in the 1996 timeline, his scenes provided a poignant look at Ben’s life before the crash, highlighting the struggles of queer identity in the 90s.
The theme of struggling with one’s own identity was later reflected by François Arnaud’s Scott Hunter in the recently released Heated Rivalry.
Alongside these shows, Arnaud also appeared in several other projects, namely:
UnREAL (Hulu): As Tommy Castelli, a manipulative producer in the final season.
The Moodys (Fox): As Dan Moody, the artistic son of the family.
Surface (Apple TV+): As Harrison, a colleague of the main character.
X Company (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation): As Rene Villiers, a resistance fighter during World War II.
For his performance in The Borgias, François Arnaud has also been awarded the Canadian Screen Awards for the episode titled “The Prince”.
Akin to his role in Heated Rivalry, Arnaud is also a prominent advocate for LGBTQ+ representation. He came out as bis*xual in 2020 (via Just Jared), making his portrayal of Scott Hunter one of the most iconic queer characters in modern romance literature.
Are you a fan of François Arnaud’s acting? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Heated Rivalry is available to stream on HBO Max (USA).
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