The Moment
Two fresh Met Gala rookies, one irresistible friendship. Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, co-stars and real-life best friends, made their Met Gala debuts on Monday, May 4, then spent much of the night orbiting each other, per their own social posts.
The next day, Hudson posted behind-the-scenes shots on Threads: a bathroom selfie with Connor at the gala and another photo of Connor playfully drinking from a faucet at an after-party. Fashion multi-hyphenate Alexa Chung also shared a snap of the duo at the Met on Instagram, adding more fuel to the fandom fire.
But the buzziest beat came when Hudson jumped into the comments and wrote, “RPFing gotta stop y’all,” a direct, plain-English line in the sand for RPF (real-person fiction), a fan practice that imagines romance between real, not fictional, people.
Meanwhile, chatter from partygoers painted a very buddy-comedy picture of their night out, lots of time together, reportedly closing down at least one after-party, sending the HudCon fandom (yes, that’s the portmanteau) into full swoon mode.
The Take
I love a glossy best-friends-at-the-Met story as much as anyone. But let’s separate the sparkle from the spin. The photos show two young stars having a big night and enjoying each other’s company. That’s wholesome, not scandalous.
The line-crossing starts when internet fantasy steps on real-life boundaries. Hudson’s “RPFing gotta stop” isn’t shade, it’s a boundary check. Picture it like this: admiring the house is normal; picking the lock because you liked the open-house cookies is not. Shipping fictional characters? That’s fandom 101. Shipping real people who are telling you “no thanks”? That’s when the party playlist ends.
There’s also a cultural story here. Hollywood has a funny relationship with male friendship. We’ll call it a “bromance” and then immediately ask, “But what is it really?” Sometimes it’s just friendship. The Met is designed for theater, and these two delivered charm and chemistry without having to be anything more than close friends.
Bottom line: Enjoy the cute photos. Cheer the outfits. Respect the boundary. Everyone gets to keep the magic of the moment without turning it into a conspiracy corkboard.
Receipts
Confirmed:
- Hudson Williams posted BTS photos on Threads on May 5 showing himself with Connor Storrie at the Met and at an after-party.
- Alexa Chung shared a photo of Hudson and Connor at the Met on Instagram on May 5.
- In a Threads reply on May 5, Hudson wrote: “RPFing gotta stop y’all.”
Unverified/Reported:
- Claims that Hudson and Connor were “inseparable all night,” held hands, sat on each other’s laps, and “closed down” a GQ after-party come from unnamed party sources cited by entertainment blogs and have not been corroborated with on-record statements or official video.
- Sightings of hotel comings-and-goings and which after-parties they attended beyond what’s visible in their or friends’ posts should be considered unconfirmed without direct attribution.
Backstory (for Casual Readers)
Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie are co-stars known for an on-screen partnership that fans adore. Off-screen, they’re close friends, the kind who pose for bathroom selfies, show up for each other on big nights, and, yes, spark shipping from fans who’ve nicknamed them “HudCon.” If you’re new to the term, RPF (real-person fiction) is fan-created storytelling or speculation pairing real people romantically. Some celebs are unbothered; others set a firm boundary. Hudson’s comment tells you where he stands.
What’s Next
Expect more BTS crumbs. The Met has a long afterglow on social. The bigger storyline will be whether Hudson or Connor follows up on that RPF boundary with a longer note, or simply lets the comment stand and move on. Keep an eye on their next joint appearances, press events, fashion shows, or festival parties, where the dynamic will speak for itself without the rumor mill doing the talking.
One wish for the fandom: keep the energy on the work and the fashion. If you’re celebrating HudCon, celebrate the friendship, and let their actual words set the terms.
Where do you draw the line between playful shipping and crossing a real person’s boundary when they ask fans to stop?
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