Stephen Kalyn Reflects on Filming Nude Scenes in Off Campus, Calling the Experience Both Challenging and Empowering

Stephen Kalyn recently shared that filming the intimate and partially nude scenes for Amazon Prime Video’s hit romantic drama Off Campus was not always easy. During a cast panel at Prime Video’s Obsessed Fest in Los Angeles on June 27, the 28-year-old actor admitted that appearing shirtless throughout much of the series initially made him feel self-conscious. However, as filming progressed, he gradually became more comfortable with the demands of the role and gained a stronger sense of confidence.

Kalyn explained that although certain moments on set were awkward, the experience ultimately helped him grow as both an actor and a person. Looking back, he said the process pushed him beyond his comfort zone and left him feeling capable of handling almost any challenge in the future. According to Kalyn, taking on scenes that required vulnerability was difficult at first, but overcoming those fears proved to be rewarding.

The panel focused on how the cast members were challenged by their roles and the ways portraying their characters encouraged them to step outside their normal personalities. Kalyn, who plays Dean Di Laurentis, admitted that the physical demands of the character surprised him. Since Dean frequently appears without a shirt, Kalyn found himself having to adjust quickly to being on camera with very little clothing.

While he confessed that filming these scenes occasionally felt uncomfortable, he eventually learned to embrace the experience rather than resist it. By the end of production, he felt more confident in himself and grateful for the opportunity to push his personal boundaries.

Kalyn’s co-star Mika Abdalla, who portrays Allie Hayes, also discussed the scene that challenged her the most. Unlike Kalyn, whose biggest hurdle involved physical vulnerability, Abdalla struggled with a performance that required emotional openness.

She revealed that filming Allie’s drunken karaoke performance was particularly intimidating. Although the sequence was intended to be funny and energetic, Abdalla admitted she was genuinely nervous because she had to sing in front of the entire cast and crew, many of whom had become her close friends. Performing live, especially while intentionally singing poorly to match her intoxicated character, made her feel exposed in a different way.

In the memorable scene, Allie confidently takes the stage and passionately performs “Take Me or Leave Me” from the musical Rent. The performance is intentionally off-key and chaotic, reflecting her drunken state. Despite the humorous tone, Abdalla explained that recreating the scene required her to ignore feelings of embarrassment and fully commit to the character.

She also noted that Allie’s outgoing personality differs significantly from her own. While Allie is constantly energetic, expressive, and spontaneous, Abdalla considers herself much more reserved in everyday life. Maintaining that level of enthusiasm throughout filming required considerable effort and energy each day.

Beyond discussing challenging scenes, Abdalla reflected on working with Kalyn and how their friendship developed behind the scenes. She recalled that from the moment they participated in their chemistry test together, she believed he was the perfect choice to play Dean.

According to Abdalla, several talented actors auditioned for the role, but Kalyn stood out immediately. She felt their chemistry was undeniable, and the production team quickly reached the same conclusion. Even before the cameras started rolling, she was confident he would ultimately be cast.

However, despite their obvious on-screen chemistry, their off-screen friendship did not happen instantly.

Abdalla jokingly revealed that Kalyn seemed intimidated by her when they first met. She described herself as someone who naturally has a serious facial expression, often referred to as a “resting bitch face,” which can unintentionally make her appear unfriendly. She believes this first impression may have caused Kalyn to think she disliked him.

After noticing some awkwardness between them, Abdalla decided to address the situation directly. Knowing that their characters would eventually share several important romantic scenes, she felt it was important to establish a comfortable working relationship.

During their conversation, Kalyn honestly admitted that he had been afraid of her. He confessed that he genuinely believed she disliked him, which had made him nervous around her. Abdalla quickly reassured him that her facial expression simply gave the wrong impression and that she had no negative feelings toward him whatsoever.

Once the misunderstanding was cleared up, their relationship changed almost immediately.

Abdalla laughed as she explained that after that conversation, they quickly became close friends. What had initially been an awkward working relationship transformed into a genuine friendship that continued throughout production.

Today, she describes Kalyn as someone who may appear physically imposing because of his size but is actually incredibly kind, sensitive, and emotionally open. She affectionately compared him to a brother, explaining that they now share a very close bond both on and off the set.

Their friendship has also helped strengthen the chemistry audiences see between Dean and Allie on screen.

The relationship between their characters became an important storyline during the first season of Off Campus. Although Dean and Allie’s romance begins midway through Season 1, it quickly became one of the series’ most popular storylines among viewers.

Fans can expect even more focus on the couple in the upcoming second season. The new season adapts The Score, the third novel in Elle Kennedy’s bestselling Off-Campus book series, where Dean and Allie become the central romantic pairing.

Showrunner Louisa Levy also shared insight into how the television adaptation evolved during development.

She explained that her original plan was to give Dean and Allie’s romance an entire standalone episode during the first season. However, production plans changed after the series received an eight-episode order instead of the ten episodes initially expected.

Because of the shorter season, Levy had to restructure several storylines. Rather than delaying Dean and Allie’s relationship, she chose to weave their romance into the broader narrative across the season.

Levy believed this approach made sense because the characters were already naturally connected within the story. Allie is Hannah’s best friend, while Dean lives with the other male leads in the off-campus house, making it easy for their paths to cross throughout the season.

She also wanted to preserve one of the book’s biggest surprises. Since Dean and Allie’s romance initially develops in secret in the novel, Levy thought it would be exciting if television viewers also discovered their relationship gradually. By keeping their romance hidden from the audience at first, she hoped to recreate the same sense of surprise readers experienced.

This storytelling choice ultimately allowed the romance to unfold organically while maintaining suspense throughout the season.

With Season 2 placing Dean and Allie at the center of the narrative, both Kalyn and Abdalla are expected to have significantly larger roles. Their growing friendship off screen, combined with the confidence they gained from overcoming personal challenges during filming, has prepared them for an even bigger spotlight in the next chapter of Off Campus.

All eight episodes of the first season of Off Campus are currently available for streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.