Sometimes a role finds you. For Stephen Kalyn, it was found on his fiancée’s bookshelf.
Off Campus, the romantic drama series developed by Louisa Levy for Amazon Prime Video, is based on Elle Kennedy’s beloved hockey romance book series. Set at Briar University, the show centers on the stars of the school’s hockey team, with each player getting their own love story in a format similar to Bridgerton.
It premiered on May 13 and has since become one of the most talked-about romance adaptations of the year. At the center of the fan conversation is one name: Stephen Kalyn, who plays loveable party boy Dean Di Laurentis.
What fans are only now finding out is that Kalyn had a very personal connection to the role long before he ever stepped on set.
Stephen Kalyn on How His Fiancée Pushed Him Toward Dean
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Kalyn opened up about the role his fiancée, Victoria Lovatsis, played in landing him the part. Her favorite character in Kennedy’s books was Dean, and when the show was announced, she made her position clear.
“When they announced that the show was happening, she said, ‘You need to get Dean. You gotta get that part. That’s perfect for you,'” he recalled. “I’m like, ‘Be the playboy guy who gets all the girls. You sure?’ And she’s like, ‘Yeah, you’re the guy. You got it.'”
The casting wasn’t straightforward, though. Kalyn originally auditioned for the role of John Logan, now portrayed by Antonio Cipriano. He sent in his tape, felt good about it, and then didn’t hear much back. “I thought, ‘Oh, I guess that’s not going to happen.’ And then a couple months later, I think it was April, they sent out a thing for Dean,” he told THR.
Incase You Missed It: Off Campus Review: Is Amazon’s College Romance Worth all the Hype?
With Victoria’s voice in his head, he went all in. “From the moment I got the audition, I just felt like I knew this person,” he said. “I was so confident in what I wanted to bring to this part.” Victoria’s verdict once she actually saw him play the role? She told him he nailed it. “Only approval I needed,” Kalyn admitted.
Kalyn added, “She’s been a huge player in motivating me to get there and get here right now.”
The personal stakes made his performance feel lived-in from the start. Kalyn is also no stranger to the sport at the heart of the show, having played hockey since the age of 6 and finishing his minor hockey career in the AA tier, making him the only core cast member who came to the role with real ice time under his belt.
Off Campus became the third-most-watched debut series in Prime Video history, drawing 36 million viewers in its first 12 days of streaming. Kalyn and co-star Mika Abdalla have since been confirmed to lead Season 2, which will adapt Kennedy’s third novel, The Score, centering on Dean and Allie’s full love story.
Off Campus Season 2 is currently in development at Prime Video and is expected to premiere in spring 2027.
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