Hudson Williams at the 2026 Met Gala
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Hudson Williams shuts down ‘rpfing’ after girlfriend speculation – here’s what really went down

Heated Rivalry fans took it too far

Daisy Phillipson
6th May 2026, 11:24
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Heated Rivalry icon Hudson Williams has been in the headlines a lot this week after making his Met Gala debut at the 2026 event earlier this week, where he was joined by co-star Connor Storrie.

But while all eyes were on his after party antics, the chat has now turned to social media, where Hudson responded to a since-deleted post on Threads.

Hudson and Connor have kept their private lives private after exploding to fame amid the success of Heated Rivalry, but that hasn’t stopped fans from speculating. Earlier this year, Hudson was even accused of keeping his girlfriend – tattoo artist Katelyn Larson – a secret. 

Now, Hudson has clapped back, replying to a post, “Rpfing gotta stop yall.”

What does ‘rpfing’ actually mean?

Shane and Ilya in Heated Rivalry
Credit: Crave

“RPF” stands for “real person fiction”, a type of fan-created content where people write stories, imagine relationships or build narratives around real-life individuals, rather than fictional characters.

In fandom spaces, this can range from relatively harmless “what if” scenarios to more intense shipping culture, where fans imagine real people – like co-stars, musicians, or influencers – in romantic or sexual relationships.

Band members, K-pop idols, actors, and athletes all have a wide range of RPF content written about them on fan fiction sites like Archive of Our Own. There are also edits, posts or threads that analyse interviews and public appearances to “prove” a romantic connection between real people.

While RPF has existed for years across fandoms, it often becomes controversial when it starts to blur the line between fiction and reality, particularly if it involves people’s actual partners or their sexuality. 

Although it’s just a minority of shippers who take it this far, RPF has been rampant among Heated Rivalry fans due to the chemistry between Hudson and Connor’s on-screen characters, Shane and Ilya. 

This has been so intense that when Williams publicly confirmed his long-term relationship with Katelyn on Valentine’s Day 2026, fans began calling her “our strongest soldier” knowing the hate she would likely receive. 

Here’s what the now-deleted original post actually said

As for why Hudson told fans to stop “Rpfing”, the original post has now been deleted – but one netizen managed to capture it. The post shows side-by-side screenshots, the first of a recent post from Hudson in his Met Gala after party beret. The snap is accompanied by Rihanna’s ‘Woo’. 

The second screenshot shows the lyrics, which read, “I bet she could never make you cry, ‘cause the scars on your heart are still mine. Tell me that she couldn’t get this deep, she can almost be the worst of me. 

“Too bad she’s just eating off your dreams, let me know when you’re ready to bleed. Baby, you just need to send for me.”

Alongside these snapshots, the Threads user wrote, “YA CAUSE I’M TOTALLY FINE.”

Essentially, these lyrics are about someone still having emotional control over an ex and the new partner “eating off your dreams” – suggesting the current relationship is inferior. 

Many fans have put two-and-two together and suggested the post is disrespectful of Hudson’s girlfriend and that’s why he responded. 

“This is in regard to a lot of accounts disrespecting his girlfriend and their relationship, some even going as far as tagging her in posts or commenting under her posts,” wrote one X user. 

“He has commented on people looking too deeply into certain interactions before by clarifying how he expresses his love for his friends, but today he replied to a post on threads, which has since been deleted. It is real for those asking.”

An RPF contributor has even commented on the situation, saying it’s important to have boundaries.  

“Hudson, up until recently, was the one creating and pushing RPF – we all saw it. He’s not disconnected from the internet, he knows exactly what’s going on,” they wrote. 

“And honestly, he probably wouldn’t have cared about what people were saying if they hadn’t started dragging K into it and ‘insulting’ her. People react where it actually hurts and when something really gets to them.

“In my opinion, he’s going through a difficult period – I’m once again convinced of that.

“Please, stop dragging K into this situation. Let people figure things out on their own. Keep your thoughts about K and their relationship in your group chats.”

Over on Threads, the chat is a little more blunt. “Not sure how many times you both have to say that men can be close and affectionate with other men without it being romantic before weirdos get it tbh,” said one. 

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Featured image credit: Stephen Lovekin/Shutterstock/Threads