{"id":240029,"date":"2026-05-13T19:05:40","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T19:05:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/13\/off-campus-cast-and-showrunner-defend-the-biggest-and-most-controversial-book-changes\/"},"modified":"2026-05-13T19:05:40","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T19:05:40","slug":"off-campus-cast-and-showrunner-defend-the-biggest-and-most-controversial-book-changes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/13\/off-campus-cast-and-showrunner-defend-the-biggest-and-most-controversial-book-changes\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Off Campus\u2019 Cast and Showrunner Defend the Biggest \u2014 and Most Controversial \u2014 Book Changes"},"content":{"rendered":"


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The cast of Off Campus<\/em> addressed the Prime Video show\u2019s biggest changes from the books<\/a> \u2014 and defended the decision to shift away from some of the most memorable moments.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s definitely great to have the blueprint of this fabulous book series to start with, but adapting for a TV show is a little bit different,\u201d showrunner Louisa Levy<\/strong> exclusively told Us Weekly<\/em>. \u201cWe need to keep the audience\u2019s focus in a different way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Levy broke down the approach from page to screen.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a lot of stories told in different ways. We have eight episodes instead of the whole book,\u201d she noted. \u201cSo we really started with the things that were super nonnegotiable \u2014 that without those things it wouldn\u2019t be Off Campus.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n Related: <\/span>Which ‘Off Campus’ Couples End Up Together? Book Order Explained<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tPrime Video\u2019s Off Campus follows different love stories at Briar U \u2014 but which couples end up together in the books? Based on the Off Campus book series by Elle Kennedy, the show follows an elite ice hockey team \u2014 and the women in their lives \u2014 as they \u201cgrapple with love, heartbreak, and self-discovery [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

She continued: \u201cFrom there, we added as many of the book moments as we could. We dropped them in like Easter eggs, and we just really spent time taking one\u2019s inside character and externalizing them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Based on the Off Campus<\/em> book series by Elle Kennedy<\/strong><\/a>, the show, which premiered Wednesday, May 13, follows an elite ice hockey team and the women in their lives as they \u201cgrapple with love, heartbreak and self-discovery \u2014 forging deep friendships and enduring bonds while navigating the complexities that come with transitioning into adulthood,\u201d read the official synopsis.<\/p>\n

Hannah (Ella Bright<\/strong>) and Garrett\u2019s (Belmont Cameli<\/strong>) love story took center stage in season 1 \u2014 with several key moments from their book, The Deal<\/em>, swapped for an updated version. At the same time, the show set up Allie (Mika Abdalla<\/strong>) and Dean (Stephen Kalyn<\/strong>) as the next possible leads despite them being featured in the third book in the series.<\/p>\n

Keep scrolling for the cast\u2019s candid insight on the biggest changes:\n<\/p>\n

Hannah and Garrett\u2019s Breakup<\/h2>\n

While Garrett (briefly) ended his romance with Hannah on the show, the book actually had his dad to blame. Bright told Us<\/em> that swapping it to have the focus on Hannah and Garrett was due to the \u201ccharacters themselves.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what makes it such a poignant and upsetting moment. It is so heartbreaking because they\u2019re both having such awful days at the exact same time. So that miscommunication is, of course, going to end in that way,\u201d she noted. \u201cBecause they are losing the ability to connect and hear each other out. They\u2019re dealing with their own things at the same time. So it is really difficult, and it makes it definitely a saddest scene.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cameli, meanwhile, referred to it as \u201cvery upsetting and a heartbreaking\u201d fictional split, adding, \u201cWe wanted it to come from the characters.\u201d<\/p>\n

Levy elaborated on the vision for the scene.<\/p>\n

\u201cA big reason why we made that change was because 11 years ago \u2014 when the books were published \u2014 college athletes couldn\u2019t make money off of their image like this and now they can,\u201d she explained. \u201cThe financial leverage that Phil has doesn\u2019t really work anymore in today\u2019s climate. We knew that we had to make a change there.\u201d<\/p>\n

She continued: \u201cBut then on top of that, we also really wanted it to come from Garrett\u2019s inner fear that he might become his father. So even though Phil is not directly responsible, he\u2019s still kind of tangentially responsible. Because that is Garrett\u2019s deepest fear is becoming his dad. You don\u2019t want to do that and make Hannah go through that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hannah Kissing Logan Over Dean<\/h2>\n

In the book, Hannah kisses one of Garrett\u2019s teammates in front of him. Kennedy\u2019s version had it be Dean, but Off Campus<\/em> leaned into the<\/a> drama with Logan (Antonio Cipriano<\/strong>) being the ultimate choice.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that some people are going to be a little upset about that one change. But honestly, for the story that we\u2019re trying to tell and where Logan has that kind of spark with Hannah, it\u2019s only going to feed the story a little bit more for his attraction toward her,\u201d Cipriano shared. \u201cHow that moment meant nothing to Hannah but everything to Logan.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cipriano hoped the vision came along.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe appreciates her, and it\u2019s all innocent and all love. I also think the addition of Jules and making him a middle child is really interesting,\u201d he added. \u201cIt changes the dynamic completely. And I\u2019m a middle child myself, so I feel like I knew exactly who this guy was.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n Related: <\/span>A Guide to Prime Video’s New Steamy Rom-Coms, Shows \u2014 And Book Adaptations<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tPrime Video is investing in love with a wide variety of steamy rom-coms, star-studded TV shows coming this year\u2014 and a fan event to celebrate the upcoming YA titles. The streaming service announced on Thursday, April 30, that Prime Video was branching out with Obsessed Fest, which is described as \u201can inaugural summer tentpole event [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Allie and Dean\u2019s Romance Getting Moved Up<\/h2>\n
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Liane Hentscher\/ Prime<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cSince the cast was announced, I feel like there\u2019s been theories circulating online, and it\u2019s been really interesting to read it,\u201d Mika Abdalla told Us about Allie and Dean\u2019s bond. \u201cI for sure think people are going to be at least surprised.\u201d<\/p>\n

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