BURBANK, Calif. — François Arnaud and Connor Storrie were photographed sharing a booth at the Smoke House steakhouse Friday night. The low-key outing, first circulated in an exclusive photo set published by TMZ, has sparked a fresh round of romance speculation around the Heated Rivalry co-stars, Feb. 6, 2026.
The images show François Arnaud and Storrie seated close together, smiling and talking through the meal, but without overt public displays of affection. A brief roundup by Just Jared described the pair as relaxed and comfortable — the kind of familiarity that reads as ordinary to friends and as “soft launch” material to a fandom trained to notice everything.
The dinner sighting also lands during a stretch where the actors have been photographed together at multiple industry events, creating the impression of an ongoing, shared circuit beyond the show. Harper’s Bazaar recently chronicled their coordinated looks at Saint Laurent’s official Grammys after-party in Los Angeles, an appearance that kept the duo in the same frame — and kept the conversation going.
The setting didn’t hurt the buzz, either. The Smoke House has long leaned into its old-Hollywood mythology, and the restaurant notes on its history page that it has served the community since 1946. In a town where “where” can be part of the story, a recognizable booth in a legacy spot can turn a quiet dinner into a photographed moment.
Why François Arnaud and Connor Storrie rumors keep catching fire
For François Arnaud, the attention arrives on top of an already public conversation about identity and boundaries. In 2020, Arnaud came out as bisexual in social media posts shared ahead of Bi Visibility Day, and coverage from Them emphasized his pushback against stereotypes that can make bisexual men feel erased. That context can make any new relationship chatter around François Arnaud feel louder — and it also underscores the difference between sharing who you are and being pressed to explain who you are dating.
It also matters that Heated Rivalry didn’t break out quietly. In a December profile, GQ captured how quickly the series turned into a pop-culture fixation, with attention spilling beyond the screen and onto the cast’s daily lives. Once a fandom starts treating real life like an extension of the plot, ordinary moments — a party photo, a shared flight, a dinner with a colleague — can be interpreted as evidence.
Storrie has spoken about that sudden shift, too. In an earlier interview with Interview Magazine, he reflected on the whiplash of going from near-anonymity to being recognized everywhere, a change that can make even routine outings feel “public” in a new way.
For now, the verifiable facts remain simple: François Arnaud and Connor Storrie were photographed having dinner, and people noticed. Until either actor chooses to address the rumors directly, the rest is inference — and a reminder that there’s a difference between enjoying on-screen chemistry and demanding answers about off-screen lives.
