'Off Campus' star defends 10-year age gap with co-star
What's the story
Ella Bright (19) has defended her pairing opposite Belmont Cameli, who is nearly a decade older, on the steamy young adult hit series Off Campus. Speaking on the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast, Bright revealed that she was 18 during filming and addressed fans' surprise over her age difference with Cameli (28). "I came into this job and during the chemistry reads with more than enough information...and understanding of what this role required and the show," she said.
Professionalism emphasized
'I get people's concern, but...'
Bright also addressed fans' concerns, saying, "I get people's concern, but also not once did I feel, one, left out from being younger than everybody." "We're all such a family and everyone was just more than perfect, and I couldn't be more comfortable on this set with these people." She added that she was fully aware of the partial nudity involved in her role as Hannah Wells and that it was discussed before filming began.
Co-star camaraderie
On-screen to off-screen bond
Bright told PEOPLE how she became "very fast friends" with Cameli. "We have so much fun together. He's the greatest...[We] met at the chemistry reads, we got each other's numbers and we've just been friends ever since." "I remember the first time I met Belmont, we did the first kiss scene between Hannah and Garrett, obviously without the kissing...But it was really funny because we would get really...close and they would go 'And cut!' It was really, really fun."
Showrunner's statement
Creator Louisa Levy addresses age gap concerns
The age difference between Bright and Cameli has been a hot topic among Off Campus viewers. The show's creator Louisa Levy addressed these concerns, saying that Bright had read Elle Kennedy's original novels before joining the project and understood the themes involved. "We have an extraordinary intimacy coordinator, Kathy Kadler, who had conversations with not just Belmont and Ella but with all the actors who had any intimacy work," Levy told Variety.
Viral success
About 'Off Campus'
The discussion around Bright and Cameli gained traction due to their characters in Off Campus, who are college students of similar ages. The Prime Video adaptation has quickly become one of the platform's most talked-about young-adult romance dramas since its May 2026 release. Despite the age gap, fans have praised the chemistry between Bright and Cameli both on-screen and during promotional interviews for the series. It has already been picked up for Season 2.