beyond measure

I know people wanted the Hudkate of it all to remain hidden or off to the side, because that’s what some famous male celebrities have done so in the past with their significant other. And, I’m aware of the infamous “she doesn’t want to be perceived” quote that has now been dragged to the ground hours since its inception.

How many people can say they have witnessed a gay story with a mixed race couplet that has gone viral in the Western world as it touched many people’s hearts, and has thereby catapulted the leads (one who is Asian!!) into the stratosphere of the entertainment industry/Hollywood? Not many, for sure.

There are expectations that come with being involved in entertainment (sports, music, acting, etc), some of which are said and others unsaid. For a queer Asian man, one can only wonder what kind of conversations behind the scenes were had from very early on in his career, as it is likely that he would deal with two things that would impact his career: being Asian and queer. Double the whammy. More struggle to be accepted and given opportunities to shine. In society (and in the industry), the thing going for him is that he is a man, but he is neither white nor straight.

Reaching the doors of Hollywood, and having them open is one thing, but one must *comply.* BIPOC are aware that one may have some opportunities at work at the expense of certain factors, and the entertainment industry is no different. Hudson cannot change what he looks like, i.e. his features cannot be altered to present as white. So what can he alter, or omit, in order to remain a contender in projects that may interest him, in order to remain viable? We could say that could be his sexuality. (Personally, Hollywood would much rather cast sexist pigs than gay men, even to this day. It’s that conservative).

Think about it.

According to UCLA’s Hollywood Diversity Report], in 2025, people of color “lost ground in all key Hollywood employment categories covered in the report—directors, writers, lead actors and overall cast.” The report also found that “the proportion of lead actors of color declined from 2024’s high of 51% to just 36%.” So when you ask why Hudson is not going directly to big Hollywood studios and is sticking to Canadian projects, perhaps this could illuminate as to why. It may be easier to get roles in Canadian-made projects as he is Canada’s current hot commodity at the moment, whereas the competition pool in the US may be harder to get into, with more non-white actors fighting for a chance in roles tbat have decreased over the years due to the current political landscape. Hudson has to display not only talent and skill, but it is likely he also has to be commercial enough for studios to give him a higher chance. Hence, the more visible approach to the public/fandom than his white counterpart.

So what can Hudson and his seemingly inexperienced and incompetent team do? Try to cater to, and or walk the middle line as much as possible. Project enough authenticity and sincerity to combat the dishonest (bearding) part(s). With the show blowing up the way it did, I wouldn’t be surprised if this became harder to achieve, and some reevaluations had to be made. Entering a bearding agreement would serve the purpose of making his queerness a non-issue. Minimized. Worse case scenario: All but forgotten over time once the show culminates. This is the groundwork, and arduous work it may be.

“In the end she’s just a girl like you”

I would argue that one should see Katelyn as nothing more than the physical manifestation of Hudson’s *heterosexuality.* She is the “Your Name (Y/N)” character, the female protagonist women project their womanhood/femaleness onto in stories. A Y/N that does not have a voice, beyond the glimpses of communication on her business account dedicated to AI-generated tattoos. It is easier to project whatever one desires onto her, for she has no discernible connection to the fans—a distinct voice. She is not to be paraded as a person, but the physical manifestation of Hudson’s traditional [straight] male image sold to the masses, to appease the industry and society. Therefore, he speaks for her/them.

In a male-dominated/patriarchal society (and world), this behavior is the standard, and he is seemingly fulfilling that role. One could perceive Hudson’s compliance with the bearding situation as malicious, or typical male behavior, because he is a man. This performance will be excused by his predominantly female consumers, who may rationalize it and justify this heterosexual behavior as normal, largely due to learned compulsive heterosexuality. While antifeminist, this will be a job well done in the eyes of patriarchy and the executives. After all, Hudson has performed (for them), and met the expectations of what a straight man is.

Recommended readings: Marilyn Frye’s “The Politics of Reality,” and Andrea Long Chu’s “Females.”

The Execution

Pushing hudkate to the extent of what we are seeing can be attributed to several factors. For one, he is contracted to three seasons. That is, three promotional campaigns with his male co-star, and, whom appears to be, his actual partner. That is, at least, two months worth of promotion together, whether they are paired in the same interviews, or not. They will, at least, be in each other’s company for some of these interviews over the course of two years for each season release. Perhaps more if Unrivaled is adapted and the contract is extended for it.

What has also changed is the media landscape and consumer behavior with AI technology that’s been forcefully embedded into our everyday lives. Molly McPherson’s podcast makes it clear that SEO (search engine optimization) is not the only thing that matters now. Publicists and journalists are competing with the GEO (generative engine optimization).

In addition, traditional news media now competes with niche media (podcasts, media influencers, outlets such as Deuxmoi, newsfluencers, bloggers, etc). As Linda Zebian from Muck Rack (and former New York Times reporter), mentions, in the current media landscape, “no one has the power […] [News media] is really fragmented. It is very targeted, it is very niche.” The media landscape has changed so much, and it has become more difficult to place stories all the same, given the decrease in trained journalists. What this means is that PR and communications now possess more avenues/outlets to play with and take with their stories. They just have to consider which ones they need to use. They need to evaluate the best place(s) to take their stories to.

The 2026 report by Muck Rack, “What is AI Reading?,” states that LLMs trust earned media, which accounts for 84% of all AI citations. Paid and advertorial content accounts for 0.3%. Journalism alone makes up 27% of cited sources.

Think about what Google’s AI overview will spout upon searching who Hudson’s girlfriend is. Or who Connor was linked to romantically for a while early in 2026. Who was pushing and covering these charades? While the press should not care this much about a private citizen, know her name, and who she’s dating, it matters to Hudson’s team that they do. It matters for a reason—they need the earned (free) media.

To generate headlines that will be scraped and consumed by the LLMs, one must be seen and be interesting enough. The Paris post was just that, specially following the confrontation between Hudson and the paps/autograph heckler(s). It gained coverage, and the coverage was about the invasion of his privacy while with friends and family. Several low-tier media outlets also picked up on Hudson finally posting about his girlfriend while on holiday. This is a follow-up to her appearance at the Vanity Fair’s After Party (March 2026) and the CSAs (May 2026). Media outlets know his Instagram post is public domain, as it was published on his own public account, and therefore something they can write about. His fandom has showcased they will click on just about anything related to him. He’s salacious and interesting enough, specially as a newcomer.

So next time people search on Google who Hudson is dating, Katelyn [Rose] Larson will show up on the AI Overview, with him at various official public events and on holiday. Questions about his sexuality? “Hudson has been dating Katelyn Rose Larson for six years, according to People Magazine.” He has not disclosed his sexuality, but rest assured he has been with a woman for a long time. Authority. Validity. The LLMs will link publications before it will link Reddit posts, therefore low-tier publications writing about it is exactly the kind of thing publicists want for their clients. When you control the GEO, you control the narrative. And how this reads to the fandom at large, including the auxiliary onlookers? All is well because she’s there to remind people of his sexuality and longterm commitment to someone other than his male co-star.

[When it comes to reputation management, Molly McPherson considers what PR and communications can do in response to crisis—to release a media statement, news article, etc. Levian makes it clear that one has to respond using “everything, everywhere.” As she says, “whatever you got that supports your narrative, you post it with words.”]

Food for thought.