Jacob Tierney and Brendan Brady, the executive producers behind hit hockey romance series Heated Rivalry, have launched the Irina Foundation through their production company, Accent Aigu Entertainment. The private fund will support organizations creating opportunities for LGBTQIA2S+ and underserved communities to participate in sports and the arts, with an emphasis on connection, belonging and mental well-being.
The name comes directly from Rachel Reid’s Game Changers novels, the books that inspired Heated Rivalry. In the series, Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov establish their own Irina Foundation, named after Ilya’s late mother. The fictional organization supports inclusion and mental health initiatives, including a youth hockey camp.
The real-life foundation will provide support to existing organizations whose sports and arts programs align with its mission. Kate Spade New York is the foundation’s inaugural donor, while men’s grooming company Harry’s is among its early supporters.
“For many of us, some of life’s most meaningful moments happen on a team, in a studio or on a stage,” Tierney and Brady said in a statement. “The Foundation is our way of giving back.”
The launch follows a significant fundraising effort surrounding Heated Rivalry. According to Accent Aigu, the company, its partners and fans have raised more than $1.5 million USD in recent months for organizations including You Can Play, the New York LGBTQ Center and Rainbow Railroad. The new foundation is intended to continue that philanthropic work.
Accent Aigu president Jayme Alter Wilson said the foundation’s name reflects what Irina represents within Reid’s story: the idea that people facing difficult circumstances deserve support and connection.
