Netflix has found its Stassie and Nate for Icebreaker, with Daisy Jelley and Connor Simos officially cast as the leads of the upcoming adaptation of Hannah Grace’s bestselling hockey romance. Jelley, known for How to Have Sex, Geek Girl and Poser, will play competitive figure skater Anastasia “Stassie” Allen, while Simos, who appears in Subversion, takes on college hockey star Nate Hawkins. The pair are at the centre of Grace’s hugely popular Icebreaker, the first novel in her Maple Hills series.
What Is Icebreaker About?
Icebreaker follows Stassie, a transfer student determined to reach the Olympics, and Nate, a campus hockey star with his sights set on the NHL. Their paths collide when an accident leaves their teams sharing the same rink, bringing two highly competitive athletes much closer together than either expected.
The official synopsis reads: “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 ‘Stassie’ 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.”
Who Plays Stassie and Nate in Icebreaker?
Daisy Jelley will play Anastasia “Stassie” Allen, marking another major Netflix role for the actor following Geek Girl. Connor Simos has been cast opposite her as Nate Hawkins, with Netflix also sharing an early video of the pair getting to know one another ahead of production. Further casting has not yet been announced, with Stassie and Nate currently the first confirmed characters for the series.
Is Icebreaker Based on a Book?
Yes. Icebreaker is based on Hannah Grace’s novel of the same name, which became a major BookTok success and spent 70 consecutive weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. The book has sold nearly five million copies worldwide and has been translated into 24 languages across 34 territories. It is the first book in Grace’s three-part Maple Hills series, with total sales across the trilogy now exceeding 7.5 million copies globally.
Who Is Making Netflix’s Icebreaker?
Jade Halley Bartlett, whose credits include Road House, Miller’s Girl and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, created the adaptation and serves as an executive producer. Amanda Lasher, known for Gossip Girl and The Bold Type, is showrunner, writer and executive producer. Hannah Grace is also executive producing alongside Alex Cooper, Matt Kaplan and Mina Lefevre through Cooper’s Unwell Productions.
Speaking about the adaptation, Bartlett said the characters created by Grace are ambitious and talented but also “deeply compassionate”, while Lasher said she has long been a fan of the romance genre and described bringing the novel to screen as a joy.
For CultureCues, Icebreaker casting was always going to get fans talking after months of rumours, fancasts and BookTok wish lists, but Daisy Jelley and Connor Simos already look like really strong choices for Stassie and Nate. From the early fan reaction, plenty of readers seem happy with the picks too, which is probably the best sign Netflix could have hoped for at this stage. We are excited to see the chemistry between them and how these much-loved characters make the jump (or skate) from page to screen.
Icebreaker is coming to Netflix, with a release date still to be announced.
More from CultureCues
Black Doves Season 2 Trailer, Release Date and First-Look Images Revealed
Adultery First Look: Dominic Cooper and Romola Garai Lead New ITV Drama
YAGA Trailer: Hudson Williams Stars in Sky’s New Mystery Thriller
Nikki Murray is a UK-based writer, screenwriter and founder & editor of CultureCues, covering film, television, music and pop culture. Her work focuses on storytelling and the moments shaping modern entertainment.