'Heated Rivalry' Star Hudson Williams Says Closeted Pro Athletes Message Him

"Heated Rivalry" star Hudson Williams is pulling back the curtain on his DMs ... revealing he’s been getting messages from pro athletes who say they’re still in the closet.

Speaking on "Andy Cohen Live," Hudson -- who plays Shane Hollander in the steamy queer hockey drama -- said it hit him just how deep the show was landing when he started getting a flood of anonymous DMs from secretly gay pro athletes.

Hudson said the messages haven't been coming from just one sport ... he’s heard from athletes in hockey, football, and basketball -- many of whom also reached out to the show’s author, Rachel Reid, who then passed along the love.

Others slid straight into his IG DMs -- and Hudson admits those messages hit him hard.

"Heated Rivalry" zeroes in on Hudson’s character’s relationship with Connor Storrie’s on-screen love interest ... and it's scored major acclaim after premiering on Canada’s Crave before landing on HBO Max. It’s since been renewed for S2.