[This story contains spoilers from Off Campus season one.]
The web loves Off Campus’ lovable celebration boy Dean Di Laurentis, that a lot has been made clear previously week for the reason that college-set collection premiered.
Dean, performed by 28-year-old Stephen Kalyn, is one of the best good friend and hockey teammate to the season’s leading man, Belmont Cameli’s Garrett Graham. There’s extra to the free-spirited hockey participant than meets the attention, nonetheless, which turns into evident within the present’s sixth episode.
The episode focuses on the budding romance between Dean and Allie Hayes, one of the best good friend to Garrett’s higher half and season one’s leading lady, Hannah Wells, played by Ella Bright. It’s additionally an important barometer to see the place the character Dean is at when viewers discover him within the story. “I’m Six Flags, baby,” Kalyn’s Dean tells Abdalla’s Allie in episode six because the pair share a joint. “Everybody wants a ride. They come for a good time, not a long time.”
Kalyn factors to a notion Dean has about his life in Elle Kennedy’s Off Campus books that the show is based on — he’s simply doing what he desires. “That’s a line that I’ve always kept with me for every scene in season one,” the actor tells The Hollywood Reporter on a current Zoom.
Dean’s having the time of life, as Kalyn sees it, and he didn’t count on what was to return subsequent. “To catch feelings for Allie was an interesting turning point too for me. I learned a lot of things about him through that process of him meeting somebody that he genuinely [likes],” he says.
“Dean always gets what he wants, but Allie puts him in his place,” Kalyn says. “He doesn’t quite understand that, but he’s attracted to it. He’s following that feeling as the show progresses in season one until he’s like, ‘I like you, and I’m done with this. I just want to be with you, Allie.’”
Kalyn cherished getting Dean to that time. “It’s fun to do party scenes — it’s fun to have fun — but it’s great to get to the heartfelt moments,” he says.
Kalyn as Dean Di Laurentis in Off Campus.
Jeff Weddell / Prime
Dean, very similar to Garrett’s different shut associates and teammates John Logan (Antonio Cipriano) and John Tucker (Jalen Thomas Brooks), leads one other novel within the Off Campus collection. The Rating, the third e book in Kennedy’s string of novels, facilities round Dean and Allie’s romance.
Whereas Off Campus intends to undertake the Bridgerton mannequin of handing over the primary character mantle to a brand new couple every season, it’s unclear which of Kennedy’s books season two will cowl. Regardless, Kalyn, Cipirano, Brooks and Abdalla are all conscious that their time is coming ultimately, so long as the present continues to be renewed.
“I’m just so grateful to learn from Ella and Belmont and watch those two great, phenomenal actors lead season one,” Kalyn says.
The e book collection Off Campus, which begins with The Deal, follows a new-but-connected couple in every e book. The present, which follows The Deal’s storyline, plans to maintain that mannequin. Season one dives headfirst into the age-old romantic trope of faux courting with music scholar Hannah Wells, who, in true hockey trend, is usually known as Wellsy by her love curiosity, Garrett Graham. Graham is the son of an expert hockey legend and captain of Briar College’s hockey staff.
Louisa Levy serves because the creator and co-showrunner, government producing alongside fellow showrunner Gina Fattore. Wyck Godfrey, Marty Bowen and James Seidman government produce for Temple Hill. Leanna Billings of Billings Productions and Neal Flaherty additionally function government producers on the collection.
All episodes of Off Campus are streaming now on Prime Video. Learn THR‘s show coverage here.
