Former First Lady Jill Biden bids $35,000 for Heated Rivalry role at LGBTQ+ benefit auction

Jill Biden placed a $35,000 (£28,000) bid for a walk‑on role in the hit queer hockey drama Heated Rivalry during a high‑profile LGBTQ charity auction in New York, drawing attention at one of the community’s most significant annual fundraising events. 

The former First Lady made the bid during the live auction at the NYC LGBT Community Center’s annual Center Dinner on Thursday night, where guests were invited to compete for a cameo appearance in the show’s forthcoming second season, alongside a private dinner with cast members. 

Despite her strong opening offer, Biden was ultimately outbid. The package reportedly sold twice, with two separate bidders each paying $125,000, significantly exceeding the initial bid and helping to boost fundraising totals for the LGBTQ+ organisation. 

Heated Rivalry, which premiered in late 2025, is based on Rachel Reid’s popular Game Changers novel series and centres on a slow‑burn romance between two professional ice hockey rivals. The series has quickly become a cultural talking point within LGBTQ+ media, praised for its depiction of queer relationships in mainstream sports drama. 

The benefit evening also honoured Heated Rivalry creator Jacob Tierney and executive producer Brendan Brady, who received the Cultural Impact Award for their contribution to LGBTQ+ storytelling. The award was presented by Reid, whose novels inspired the television adaptation. 

In a statement delivered ahead of the event, the Center’s chief executive, Dr Carla Smith, said the series had “elevated and centred queer characters as fully realised leads”, crediting the creators for bringing “queer joy and storytelling into the mainstream”. 

Following the auction, Biden acknowledged her unsuccessful bid on social media, joking that she would not be “heading to the cottage after all” - a reference to the show - while praising the fundraiser and its cause. 

Season two of Heated Rivalry, adapted from Reid’s novel The Long Game, is expected to begin filming later this year and is slated for release in 2027. Returning cast members are set to include Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie. 

The NYC LGBT Community Center’s annual dinner remains one of the organisation’s most important fundraising events, bringing together figures from entertainment, fashion and public life to support its advocacy and community services.