Margaret Cho, an Emmy nominee, revealed that she turned down a role in a new series, Heated Rivalry, due to concerns about being detained at the border due to her criticism of the current administration. The show was about to shoot in Canada and she was afraid to be detained at a border if she did not comply. Despite her rejection, Cho admitted to watching the show's debut season and hosting rewatch parties, she felt like her onscreen son could have been her child. With a second season of the show set to air on Crave and HBO Max in the US, Cho did not confirm or deny her potential involvement with the show.