‘Vampire Diaries’ Star Joins Netflix’s Hot New Hockey Drama

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Viewers are anxiously awaiting the arrival of “Icebreaker,” the highly anticipated upcoming Netflix drama based on the No. 1 New York Times bestseller from Hannah Grace.

With production underway in Vancouver, the series — which focuses on the college romance between a figure skater with her eye on Olympic gold and a hockey player aiming for a career with the NHL — has just made a big new casting announcement.

Paul Wesley Joins the Cast

Netflix has just announced that “Vampire Diaries” alum Paul Wesley has joined the “Icebreakers” cast.

Wesley, who currently stars as James T. Kirk in “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,” has been cast as Coach Neil Faulkner.

“She’s the transfer gunning for Olympic gold. He’s the campus star chasing the NHL. But when an accident forces their teams to share one rink, Anastasia Allen and Nate Hawkins collide — and discipline gives way to obsession, because the only thing more dangerous than wanting to win is wanting each other,” notes the logline for the new series, which stars Daisy Jelly as Anastasia “Stassie” Allen and Connor Simos as Nate Hawkins.

“Building on the massive momentum of the ‘Maple Hills ‘series, Hannah Grace’s ‘Icebreaker’ continues to reach historic milestones, having spent 70 consecutive weeks on the New York Times bestseller list,” notes Netflix in its announcement. “Originally published in November 2022 with a wide release in 2023, the blockbuster novel has captivated a massive global audience, surpassing nearly 5 million copies sold worldwide. Translated into 24 languages and distributed across 34 territories, ‘Icebreaker’ has cemented its status as an international phenomenon, driving total sales for the three-book ‘Maple Hills’ series past 7.5 million copies globally and becoming a viral sensation.”

Wesley joins the previously announced cast, which also includes Gabriel Tierney, Auliʻi Cravalho, Peter Berry, Chaneil Kular, Devin Craig and Aidan Shaw.

From Page to Screen

The series is created by Jade Halley Bartlett with “Gossip Girl” veteran Amanda Lasher serving as showrunner. 

“I have been a fan of steamy YA since the seventh grade, reading Judy Blume stealthily hidden behind a textbook,” Lasher tells Tudum. “I love this genre, and it’s been a joy working with Jade, the team at Unwell, and Netflix to bring Hannah Grace’s beloved ‘Icebreaker’ novel to the screen.”

“It’s been such a joy to play in Hannah Grace’s world of ‘Icebreaker,’ a story filled with ambitious, talented, and undeniably sexy characters,” adds Bartlett. “But the real special sauce is that, above all, they are good, deeply compassionate people … and we cannot get enough of them. Hannah has created the kind of world you want to live in, and Amanda and I are having an absolute romp, with our incredible teams at Unwell and Netflix, bringing this cherished story to the screen.” 

Jinny Howe, Netflix’s head of scripted series for the U.S. and Canada, first announced the upcoming series at the BANFF World Media Festival.

“Netflix has a long history of turning beloved romance novels into massive global hits. We know our members can’t get enough of these stories, which makes Icebreaker the perfect next chapter for us,” Howe says. “By supercharging the hockey sports-romance genre, Icebreaker has ignited a passionate fandom and helped redefine the landscape of contemporary romance. We are thrilled to partner with Jade Bartlett, Amanda Lasher, and the team at Unwell Productions to bring this irresistible love story to life.”